A Blizzard of Arrows
by DakotaCelt
Summary: An exchange between LACoFD with North Dakota Fire and Rescue Departments land Johnny and Roy in Fargo, ND at a time of increasing tensions in regards to the Leonard Peltier trial. The paramedics experience a blizzard both naturally and the perceived arrows of prejudice.
1. Chapter 1

[**Author's Note: This story takes place in early 1977, just prior to the Leonard Peltier trial in Fargo, ND. Elements of the story reflect some of the banter between Chet and Johnny regarding John Gage's Native American background in the episode, "Peace Pipe". The attitudes of the people in the Fargo at the time of the story does not reflect present attitudes. There were a lot of divided feelings in the area regarding the case and still is. AIM stands for American Indian Movement in this story.]**

**A Blizzard of Arrows**

The voice on the AM radio drifted from the office into the apparatus bay where it intermingled with reports from the regional dispatch center. It was a quiet night regarding runs, so far, and the Fargo Fire captain was thankful, because the recent cold snap was especially hard on the diesel trucks. Extreme cold weather and diesel engines did not mix well and the trucks required special attention to keep them running. Several firefighters were doing repairs on the small pumper in the apparatus bay, while specialists were checking the squad and correlating information with F-M Ambulance and the trauma center.

After watching his crew working on a variety of tasks, the salt and peppered-haired captain's attention was drawn to a news report on the radio regarding the upcoming Peltier trial. His attention focused on the news report and he slowly shook his head and sighed heavily.

"_Peltier will be tried at US District Court in Fargo starting in March for the alleged murders of two FBI agents in South Dakota in 1975". _

The captain closed his eyes to gain a sense of calm and slowly shook his head in disgust as details were released about the upcoming trial. He shuddered at the heightened tension that will surround this case both personally and professionally. The tension in his mind permeated the cold pressing on the walls of the station.

Sighing heavily, Captain Roland Ericsson returned to his desk and picked up the manila folder lying on the desk pertaining to the exchange program between the Los Angeles County Fire Department and four different fire departments in North Dakota: Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Minot. He questioned the logic of doing an exchange of firefighters in the depth of winter as the concept of harsh cold and snow were non-existent in the greater Los Angeles area. As he was started to read the background of the eight firefighters coming from Los Angeles, he was startled by the phone ringing. Grabbing the receiver, he quickly struck a conversation.

"Fargo Fire Station 1, Captain Ericsson, here.."

_"Hey you old dog, this is Koppang, up in Grand Forks... heard you forgot the lutefisk again!"_

"Woof! .. well... you forgot the butter!" as the captain laughed at his old friend, "dare I ask what this call is about, Charlie?"

_"Have you looked at the file yet of the guys coming from Los Angeles County?" Charlie asked._

"Yep, just opened the file a few minutes ago and saw the guys going to Grand Forks. I haven't looked at the guys going to Minot, Bismarck, or my station yet. Why do ask?" Roland questioned as he studied the different men coming to North Dakota.

_"I noticed that both of the guys assigned to Fargo are firefighter - paramedics. Minot got one paramedic and a specialist; Bismarck got a paramedic and a specialist; and we got two specialists. Curious about what we can learn from them. One thing for certain though, they will be in for one heck of a climate shock."_ Charlie replied with a hint of amusement.

He waited momentarily before continuing his train of thought, _"Umm, Roland...ya know with the upcoming Peltier trial in Fargo, it could make things complicated for one of the paramedics."_

Charlie Koppang waited momentarily to see if Ericsson would react before continuing to comment further, _"Gage is an Indian and with present attitudes, it may not be exactly a pleasant experience for him on some levels. Let's hope he is not a hotheaded Rez Injun connected to AIM in South Dakota. I suspect they are being sent to Fargo because you have Redskins there."_

Roland sighed and clenched his fist before responding as he tried to control his growing disgust. His anger was rising at Charlie's comments. Charlie's position and attitudes about Native Americans was one thing that always bothered him. In the past, he had cautioned Charlie about his comments regarding Indians as unnecessary and close-minded. The captain found Charlie's comments offensive because of his own connections to Native Americans through his wife, Delora Dauphinais, a Métis from Dunsieth.

Yes, it was true that he did have a number of Native Americans on his crew but they had proven themselves to be dedicated public servants and that was the most important attribute he considered. The issues surrounding the Peltier trial bothered him and he questioned if the man would get a fair trial in Fargo. The reactions and attitudes towards Native Americans from some people in the area, including some individuals in his own department, and elsewhere, bothered him.

With a heavy sigh, he carefully addressed Charlie's comment with great restrain as he looked at FF/PM John Gage's background information, "Umm... Charlie, I really don't understand your position on Indians. I have no issue with the fact that he is a Native American, he's certainly qualified and recognized as one of LA County's top paramedics."

Ericsson paused momentarily as he attempted to control the growing anger he felt inside before continuing, "If he wasn't qualified, Charlie, I doubt that LA County would send him and his partner, Roy DeSoto. I'm certain he'll do just fine. I have complete faith in both of them."

He listened quietly on the line as he could sense Charlie's discomfort and decided to comment no further on the fact regarding Gage's Native background. He further added, "Yeah, they'll both be experiencing extreme climate shock."

Koppang sensed that he may have crossed the line with Roland and made a hurried farewell._ "Well...I... I.. need to get back to work here.. Keep in touch."_

"I will Charlie," replied Roland as he quietly hung up the phone. Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes as tried to control his own emotions on the matter and maintain a sense of composure with a crew he was blessed to have.

His thoughts were interrupted by a rap on the door and Specialist / Mechanic Tad Longie poked his head into the office, "Hey Cap, can you come an inspect a repair issue on the pumper."

Captain Ericsson looked up at the young man, acknowledging him. "On my way, Tad" as he raised from his chair and headed out to the apparatus bay.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles County at Station 51, Captain Hank Stanley stood in his office, near his desk, as he prepared the materials needed to inform Johnny and Roy that they were added to the exchange program with North Dakota fire and rescue units. Part of him was excited for the guys to represent LA County Fire in the exchange program despite his own doubts concerning the caliber of the North Dakota EMTs, who were part of the exchange. He was hoping that Hjelmstad and Johnson would work well with his paramedics.

While waiting for the station's paramedics to return from a run, he headed to the day room and poured himself a cup of coffee. Sitting down at the table, he grabbed the newspaper from the middle of the table and pulled the pile of paper towards him. Flipping through the pages, he turned to the weather map on the back page to get an idea about the weather in Fargo, ND. His mind raced when he realized that Johnny and Roy would be going from 70 degrees to -20, a 90 degree swing in temperature and that did not include the wind.

"Cap, are you feeling okay?" Mike Stoker, his engineer, asked as a wave of concern became etched on his face as he watched the captain's face go white and his body grew increasingly still.

Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez took their cue from Mike and looked over at their captain frozen in his chair and wondered what was going on in the man's head. They walked over and tried to figure out what he was looking at that could cause such a shock. They noted the page was turned to the weather map, but they still could not make the connection. The weather outside the last several days in Los Angeles County had been marvelous, almost summer like, and this made the runs much more pleasant to handle.

Chet ran from the kitchen when he heard the squad return and motioned for Johnny and Roy to come quickly. Johnny looked over at Roy in the cab of the squad and wondered what was going on.

"Ahhh, Johnny, any ideas on what's up with Chet?" Roy asked as he placed his helmet on the hook in the cab.

"Nope...but my guess would be... the Phantom has a joke planned or he has ants in his pants...," Johnny smirked as he finished recording information on the last run. He started to swing out of the cab where he was met by Chet prancing in front of him.

"Chet, I'm in no mood for The Phantom or his jokes...," Johnny groaned as he walked off and joined Roy, heading towards the day room. Roy stopped Johnny from proceeding further into the room with his hand. Both paramedics froze in their tracks when they saw the stunned look on their captain's face and his still body.

"Chet, what kind of practical joke did you pull on Cap now?" Johnny growled as he noticed the expression on the captain's face.

"Innocent... this time, honestly. The Phantom was not present, nor knowing, on this matter," Chet replied innocently.

"Right... You've never been innocent a day in your life, Kelly!" Johnny retorted in exasperation as he looked at his friend while shaking his head at Chet's feigned innocence.

"Ahhhh Cap?" Roy questioned cautiously as he approached the table, "Are you okay?" Roy walked up and waved his hand in front of the Cap's eyes.

"Just shocked..., that's all..," Cap replied distantly as he tried to shake off the shock of what he read from his mind. After his initial shock, he folded the newspaper to the weather map and placed it under his arm. "Umm, John, Roy, can I speak with you two in my office, please."

"Um... sure, Cap," Johnny stated in mild confusion over Captain Stanley's behavior.

As the three men left the day room, Mike, Chet and Marco exchanged a few words and confused looks as they wondered what was going on, because this was very unusual behavior from Cap.

Johnny and Roy looked at each other and wondered what was going on as they followed Cap to his office and he closed the door behind them. Cap settled on the corner of his desk and motioned to the paramedics to take a seat.

"Remember about a month ago when I was telling you about the exchange program with North Dakota?"

He paused momentarily to register the paramedics reactions to his question, "It was originally going to be six men from the county, but arrangements were made to send eight men. You both were on the reserve list and have been selected to go to North Dakota in the exchange. You'll both going to Fargo."

Johnny and Roy looked at each other and back at their captain. "Cap? That does not explain the expression on your face when we came into the day room," Johnny stated distantly. "What caused you to react the way you did?"

Cap handed Johnny the folded newspaper and watched as the two paramedics looked at the map. "Look at the map and look at where North Dakota is located, guys. The temperature in North Dakota is -10 to -25 at this present moment. When I spoke with Captain Ericsson this morning, he advised that you guys should bring warm clothes due to the present cold snap. This is unusually cold for them."

"Why now and why not during the summer?" Roy asked as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea of cold. "The cold is going to be a new experience for me."

Cap pondered the senior paramedic's question for a moment before speaking, "Roy, I wish I knew the answer to your question. I'm as puzzled at the timing of the exchange as you are."

Captain Stanley shifted to the front of the desk and pulled out two envelopes with their assignments from the drawers along with flight information and handed the information to Johnny and Roy.

"You will both report to headquarters on Sunday and fly out from LAX to Minneapolis and then to Fargo for one week. Chief Houts is gathering some sweatshirts bearing the department logos for you both. You are also to take your badges with you. Johnny and Roy, I ask one thing of you two...,"

"Yeah?" both paramedics chorused.

"All I ask is that you both represent Station 51 with respect, courtesy, and professionalism." Cap stated with authority as a broad smile spread across his face, "and more thing... Johnny behave yourself around the ladies."

Johnny shot back with a sardonic grin and chuckled at Hank's request.

"Sure.. we can do that," Roy replied. "Well Johnny, you got your orders."

"Thanks!... I think..," Johnny replied a bit suspiciously.

"Um, Roy, how are you going to break the news to Joanne?" Johnny asked facetiously. "Can only imagine the 'Honey, to do' list for this trip."

"Careful Johnny, you... just... might get recruited." Roy smirked with a knowing grin. "Besides, it would do you good to help others."

"What do you mean by that Roy?" Johnny retorted incredulously. "I am your pal, your amigo, I would do anything for my best friend. Plus, Joanne adores me!"

"Really?" as a wicked grin spread across Roy's face.

"Roy, you have your work cut out." Cap chuckled as he watched his paramedics playfully spar.

Roy looked up at his captain and gave him a knowing look as Johnny did his best to ignore the comment.

"Who else was selected in the lottery for North Dakota?" Johnny asked as he leaned forward in his chair.

Cap leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, "Well, there are four paramedics and four firefighters going to North Dakota. Naparov from Water Rescue, Brice from 110s, Thompson from 15s, Montieth from 75s, Sprague from 60s, and Reynolds from 8s."

Cap paused momentarily before continuing, "Naparov is going to Bismarck along with Reynolds. Brice and Sprague are going to Minot; Thompson and Montieth are going to Grand Forks and you two will be going to Fargo. Both of you will be working with the Ambulance-EMTs and the fire department. The two EMTs from Fargo will be riding with the paramedics at different times of day on all three shifts."

Johnny nodded thoughtfully as a sly grin spread across his face. Roy looked at him suspiciously before commenting as a sense of dread filled him, "I know that look, what are you plotting?"

"Who said I was plotting anything? It should be entertaining to see how Brice handles the cold and how North Dakota handles Brice, the walking code book," Johnny mused at the image in his head.

Roy and Cap shook their heads as they did not want to ponder the implications of that exchange.

"Ahhh... it's lunch time and I can smell Marco's chili... Let's go!" Cap declared as he herded the two paramedics out of his office towards the day room. The three men walked into the day room smiling causing Chet and Mike to stop in their tracks.

"Miracle workers!" Chet smirked as he watched them enter the day room and head to the table, "I see Cap has made a full recovery."

Chet's comment elicited a howl from Henry who was lazily stretched out on the couch. Chet smirked back at the baying basset hound, "..and that is enough out of you!"

"I suspect I should let you in on the news," Cap announced as everyone started eating lunch. He was hoping they would be able to get through lunch before being sent on a run.

"Roy and John have been selected to represent the LA County Fire Department in an exchange with North Dakota Fire and Rescue Units. There are eight paramedics and firefighters going to North Dakota. We'll be getting two EMT's from Fargo in the exchange," he continued.

"My cousin is a firefighter stationed at the Grand Forks Air Force Base," Mike stated between bites of chili and fresh bread. "When I last heard from him about a week ago, the area was having a brutal cold snap with temps around -20 as the high temperature one day. He said it got as cold as -40 near the Canadian border."

Mike paused briefly before continuing, "The wind can make the temperatures as cold as -50 to -60. Cars won't start, the fuel in a diesel engine turns to sludge, and it is incredibly difficult to fight fires in those temperatures because of frozen water lines. Frostbite is a risk that is very real at these temperatures. I suggest taking long underwear and heavy socks."

Cap carefully pondered what Mike said and slowly shook his head as he began to really wonder why they were so anxious to do the exchange in a brutal cold snap since the men from LACoFD would not be used to such extreme temperatures. "Just be careful John and Roy, I want you both back in one piece and I would heed Mike's advice."

"We will Cap," Johnny responded between bites, "We will.."

"Who else is going from the department, Cap?" Marco asked as he ladled more chili into his bowl.

Cap swallowed his food before continuing, "Naparov from Water Rescue, Brice from 110s, Thompson from 15s, Montieth from 75s, Sprague from 60s, and Reynolds from 8s. Naparov is going to Bismarck in relation to water rescue."

Mike pondered Cap's comment before adding his own thoughts, "My cousin said that the fire department in Bismarck wanted insight in setting up a water rescue unit because of the Missouri River and its proximity to Lake Sakakawea."

"That would make sense," Johnny replied as he wiped his mouth. "The rest of us are paramedics and specialists. It will be entertaining to see how North Dakota reacts to Brice."

Johnny's last comment elicited snickers from everyone at the table.

The discussion of the trip was interrupted by the tones for an impending run: _"Station 51, Unknown rescue and fire at 14524 Carson Boulevard, intersection Cedar Road. Time out 1249." _

The week passed quickly and the eight men from LACoFD arrived at headquarters for their orientation for the exchange with North Dakota. The group listened patiently as Chief Houts laid out details about the exchange and what was expected from each of them as representatives of LACoFD. The chief expressed his hopes that their experience in North Dakota would be rewarding for the selected men as an opportunity to learn new ideas and professional enrichment. Each of the men were given sweatshirts and pullovers with the department logo and Station number on the sleeve.

The group soon boarded a van carrying coats and other winter gear as they headed to LAX for the flight to Minneapolis. Johnny patiently counted of the minutes until they parted company with Brice and his analysis of the rules book which lead to a lecture of comportment directed at him. Roy watched Johnny carefully to make sure he did not give Brice any additional ammunition for lectures.

The plane climbed over the Rockies headed towards Minneapolis where the group would splinter into smaller groups as they headed to different gates for destinations in North Dakota. Roy looked at his tickets and noted that he and Johnny had a three hour layover before heading to Fargo. He shuddered at the first hint of climate change. The plane was somewhat cool over the Rockies, but as they entered the central and northern plains, the plane took on a chill he could not explain. Johnny also noticed it and looked over at Roy. It was a sense of cold he had never experienced before and he was not quite sure how to deal with it.

As the plane approached Minneapolis, the pilot announced the time and air temperature.

_"Welcome to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. It is 1:30 pm Central time. The weather conditions are clear and the present temperature is -12 below. Enjoy your stay."_

The plane landed and taxied to the jet way to allow its passengers to leave the plane. Roy and Johnny grabbed their jackets from the overhead bins and slipped them on before grabbing their carry-on bags. They parted company with the others in the airport terminal as their flights were leaving sooner than his and Johnny's flight. They both bid their fellow firefighters good luck on their visit to North Dakota.

"See ya in a week," Roy called out as the other six headed for their respective gates. The guys waved back and echoed similar sentiments to Johnny and Roy.

"Johnny, wanna get a cup of coffee before he head to our gate?" Roy asked.

"You're talkin'," Johnny chirped enthusiastically as he began to relax after Brice's departure. The two paramedics walked down towards the concourse they needed to go to before stopping at a Caribou coffee.

Roy looked at his friend as they sat down at a table and he gave his friend a playful sock, "Hey, just wanted to give a thumbs up for holding your tongue with Brice."

"Thanks Roy!" Johnny replied. "Ah, did you finish the 'Honey, to do' list before we left?"

"Yes, I did and thanks for helping." Roy commented as he sipped his coffee. Roy watched his friend's reaction and chuckled. As quirky and neurotic Johnny was at times, he was a loyal friend that he could count on when he needed it. "I even pampered her this past week."

"No problem, that's what friends are for!" Johnny said warmly.

Roy's last comment piqued Johnny's interest, "What form of pampering did you do for Joanne?" Johnny asked as he sipped the warm brown liquid.

"I took her out to her favorite restaurant and made her breakfast in bed," Roy replied with a coy grin.

Johnny smiled at his friend. "Roy, I didn't know you were a romantic fool."

As he smiled at his friend's comment, he could not shake the feeling that there were eyes looking at him.

Johnny's sudden unease was not missed by Roy. He reached over to a table near them and grabbed an abandoned paper. Scanning the paper, he caught the headline on the front page of the Minneapolis Tribune:

_"Peltier scheduled to go on trial in March in Fargo."_

After seeing the headline, he came to an understanding of the source was leading Johnny's discomfort. The sense of prejudice hit home for Roy as he realized why some people were staring at Johnny, it was because of his Native American heritage.

"Johnny, you know how I feel, just remember that. You're my friend and I'll always be there for you." Roy whispered.

Johnny took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he spoke, "Thanks, I appreciate it. Maybe that's the reason the exchange is happening now to avoid any chance of me being hurt later in the spring near the time of the trial. I've been following this on the news, it's inescapable."

Deep down, Johnny became acutely aware of the animosity towards his Native American culture in a way he had not experienced since he was a child.

"That's very possible. I've also been following issues surrounding the Peltier case," Roy replied as he looked at his watch.

Johnny was surprised and humbled by Roy's admission.

"Well, we better head to gate 53 to catch our flight," Roy said as he watched Johnny stand up and he could see a hint of sadness in his friend's eyes.

"Hey Johnny, I'll be there for you. You'll be okay," as he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Thanks Roy." Johnny replied softly as the two friends headed towards their gate.


	2. Chapter 2

[Author's Note: Thanks for the support... Keep reading!]

**Chapter 2**

Captain Ericsson walked to the front of the apparatus bay and summoned everyone to the front for a quick meeting. He made a quick note of the men standing before him and looked around for the two who were still missing from his summons. His attention was drawn to the sound of clanging metal in a metal engine bed on the far side of the apparatus bay. He spotted two of his men still working in the bowels of the engine bed. The two men in question, Tad Longie and Wes Schmidt, still had their heads buried deep in the bowels of the tanker when the Captain came into the apparatus bay.

"Tad, Wes, are ya finished, yet?" Ericsson barked as two heads with grease smudged faces popped up from the inner bowels of the engine bed on the tanker. "Wanna have a quick briefing before the paramedics from Los Angeles arrive."

"Just a moment!" Longie yelled out from behind the hood. The sound of clanging metal could be heard in conjunction with the purring engine block of the tanker. He quickly slammed the hood as a smile of satisfaction spread across his face.

"Why does this old girl purr for you?" Wes scoffed shaking his head in playful disgust as he jumped out of the cab. "I can't get it to purr for moi!"

"You've gotta show a beautiful lady respect, Wes. Bertha likes respect and a little TLC!" Tad retorted as he ducked from a flying grease rag. "Plus she likes me..., what can I say my friend... charm, pure charm, on my part."

The antics of the two friends resulted in restrained laughter that threatened to be released in front of the captain.

"Okay you two! **NOW**!" Ericsson yelled with a hint of exasperation etched in his voice as he watched Tad and Wes approach the rest of their crew mates.

Tad and Wes quickly joined their crew mates and two ambulance crews in front of the captain. Once everyone settled into place, the captain proceeded with his briefing.

"Later today, I'll be pickin' up the guys from Los Angeles and they'll be staying at my house during their visit. Their names are Roy DeSoto and John Gage. They're both Firefighters / Paramedics in Los Angeles County. The guys will watch how we do things, ride on the rigs, and give insights on what they see or have done themselves. Since they're paramedics, they'll also be workin' with the ambulance crews. Let's learn from them. They're highly respected by their peers in Los Angeles County and I expect the same from my crew. Is that **UNDERSTOOD**!"

The captain paused momentarily as watched the reaction of his crew through murmurs and nodding heads.

"Now... let's finish polishing the rigs and cleaning up the station. I wanna make a good impression on these big-city boys. And another thing... I don't want an appearance of 'Spook' during their visit!" The captain directed his last comment at Tad and Wes with a knowing grin.

Tad and Wes shrugged their shoulders and did their best impression of the innocent bystander after the captain's last remark.

"Ahhhhh ... Captain, are they ready for the cold?" Wes asked in an effort to defuse the moment of observation and the descent of ten additional sets of eyes on them. "Hjelmstad and Johnson are lucky stiffs. It's warm in LA! Hmmm..., wonder if they took the lutefisk with them?"

Wes' last comment elicited a series of groans in the crew.

"It'll be a challenge for 'em, that's fer sure," Ericsson replied. "I advised their captain and chief to tell them to bring warm clothes."

After several more announcements, the briefing broke up and everyone returned to their assigned tasks. "Tad, can you come to the office with me for a moment?" Captain Ericsson asked as he headed towards his office.

"Sure thing Cap, on my way," Tad replied as he threw a dirty rag back at Wes. "Ehhh.. Wes... Start cleaning up Bertha. She needs some lovin' bud!"

Wes shook his head and chuckled at Tad's request as he watched Tad and Captain Ericsson head towards the captain's office.

Tad opened the captain's door and poked his head into the office. "What's up?

Ericsson motioned for the dark-haired young man to enter his office and take a seat. "Tad, I just wanted to give you a heads up on John Gage. I'm hoping you and Red Wolf will help keep an eye open for me."

Tad looked on curiously as he began to wonder why the captain was so concerned about a man he had not met.

The captain took a deep breath and released it slowly before continuing. "I am concerned with what is going on in Fargo and I want him to have a good experience while he's here."

Tad looked pensively at his captain for several moments before speaking. "He's native, isn't he?" He asked cautiously.

The captain nodded absentmindedly at Tad's question before returning his gaze to the young man. Tad was painfully aware of the events and attitudes surrounding the Peltier case. Part of him had sympathy for Gage, because of recent events and the fact that he was innocently entering a hornet's nest that was beyond his control. Fargo had become a less than pleasant place to be as of late for him and his friends. He was thankful for a crew and a captain that accepted him for his skills and personality.

"I'll do my best," Tad replied deep in thought.

"I know its been rough for you and Red Wolf from people in the area and from others in the department. I just wanted to say, I admire your professionalism," Ericsson stated softly. "It is not going to be easy for any of us, the hatred for a crime that has flimsy evidence at best."

Tad sat quietly as the captain spoke and carefully considered his comments. He was well aware of the growing animosity in the city. The glares along with curt remarks and gestures about Indians from a few individuals in the department was unsettling. His own native background had been attacked and the tomahawk gestures were not missed on his part.

Sharing his captain's concern, he slowly began to speak, "Thanks for the kind words, Cap, they mean a lot. But...are ya more concerned about people in Fargo or Lehmann from B-Shift?"

He paused for a moment before continuing with his train of thought, "Ahhh... Cap.. is the Peltier trial the reason the exchange was moved up?"

Running his hand through graying hair, he let out a heavy sigh before responding. "A little of both, Tad and yes it is. I am concerned about Gage's safety, I really am," Ericsson replied distantly as his mind whirled with concern. "I don't like the growing animosity in the area towards those who have no direct connection to the events in South Dakota. It is animosity solely based on the color of their skin and ignorance. It is not fair to anyone. Racism and prejudice hurts everyone."

Tad nodded quietly as he studied his captain. He watched as turmoil engulfed the captain's thoughts and it mirrored his own feelings. The captain's body language said a lot to the young man as he had a growing sense of compassion for the man who treated him with respect when others would not even give him a chance or the time of day.

"That's all Tad, Thanks for coming. I appreciate it," the captain said quietly as the young man started to rise from the chair he was sitting in and headed to the door. Before Tad reached the door, the captain suddenly realized he had an additional question.

"Oh...one more question, Tad," Ericsson queried as his mind replayed the antics of Tad and Wes before the briefing in the apparatus bay.

Tad turned at the door and looked at the captain. "Huh?"

"When did you guys start naming the engines and squads?" Captain Ericsson asked curiously as a broad smile spread across his face. Tad's cheeks burned red as he looked at the ground and scuffed his foot nervously before looking up at his captain.

"Umm... Wes's lack of a love life. Even told him to treat the engines and squads like a woman," Tad replied nervously as a broad smile spread across his face. He quickly opened the door to make his escape as his captain started shaking his head and laughing.

Tad started to make his way across the apparatus bay before yelling at Wes, "Hey! YOU missed a spot!"

The tones from the dispatch caused everyone to stop and listen... _"Squad 102 and Ambulance 61, motor vehicle accident at 2501 Main Avenue, cross street 25th Avenue south 1345 out._

Tad was relieved that it was not his call. Hitting the buttons, the bay door opened and the two vehicles rumbled out with a plume of white exhaust billowing up behind them.

Johnny and Roy made their way down the concourse, when Johnny gestured that he needed to use the bathroom. While Johnny slipped into the bathroom, Roy noticed a pay phone nearby and decided to make a quick call to Captain Stanley.

"Los Angeles County Fire Department, Station 51, Captain Hank Stanley here," answered the voice on the other end. "Who am I talking to?"

"Hey Cap, it's me, Roy. Just thought you'd like an update. Mike's right... It's cold!" Roy quipped, "I think I know why they moved the exchange up. While we were having a cup of coffee, it was evident that people were staring at Johnny. I suspect it's because of his native background and the upcoming Peltier trial in Fargo."

Roy looked over shoulder to see if Johnny had come out of the bathroom before continuing, "He's trying to hide his discomfort, but I know he was uncomfortable. I can usually tell when he is ready to hide and escape from things and... right now he does not have that chance. I'm worried about him, he's a sensitive person and it pains me to see him hurting."

"Thanks Roy, I know you need get to your gate and thanks for letting me know. I'll be thinking of you guys. I'll let the others know to keep you both in their thoughts," Captain Stanley replied as he hung up the phone.

Sighing heavily, Captain Stanley reclined back in his chair and thought about the information that Roy shared. Deep down he had concerns about sending John because of the growing hatred of Native Americans in some parts of the country. He also knew that Roy and John were the best team of paramedics in Los Angeles County and his doubts would have been overruled by the chief of the department. Marco walked by and he saw the troubled expression on Captain Stanley's face from his position in the apparatus bay, near the door of the captain's office.

"Everything ok, Amigo?" Marco asked as concern crept into his voice.

Captain Stanley signaled to Marco to come into his office before speaking.

"I don't know... but the guys are going into a hornet's nest and I'm very concerned about John," Captain Stanley responded distantly to Marco's question as his fingers pressed together on his chest. He relayed some of the information to Marco about his conversation with Roy. "I just hope they don't come to any harm due to blind prejudice."

"Do you want me to talk to Chet and Mike?" Marco asked distantly as he worried about his friends. "I'll keep the guys in my thoughts and prayers as they are my brothers."

"Go ahead, but keep it only among our crew for now. I really don't want to rock the boat with headquarters or let the other crews know right now," Cap replied distantly.

He respected Marco to keep his cool and he was thankful for a tight knit crew even though they drove him nuts every once in a while. Marco left Cap's office and went to speak privately to Mike and Chet.

Roy had just hung up the phone when Johnny sneaked up behind him. "Joanne?" Johnny asked in amusement as a lop-sided grin spread across his face. "What did ya forget, pal?"

"Nothing!" Roy snorted mockingly as he squinted at his grinning friend. "Sometimes, you have a one-track mind, Johnny."

Roy playfully slapped Johnny and the two friends approached the gate for the flight to Fargo. As they waited for the announcement to start boarding the plane, Johnny could see people out of the corner of his eye whispering and pointing. One woman with brown hair moved her two small children away from the two paramedics and watched them carefully from a distance. Roy looked over to see how Johnny was holding up and his heart ached for his friend. It was fear and recrimination he had never seen in Los Angeles and the city and county had its own challenges.

Insult was added to the growing tension when it was announced that there was a slight delay in boarding the plane due to de-icing issues. After a twenty minute delay, the announcement was finally made to begin boarding and the paramedics made their way to the jet way.

Roy sensed that Johnny was upset as his friend grew increasingly silent and he passed on flirting with the stewardess. He knew it was unusual for Johnny as he rarely passed up a chance to chat with a pretty girl. Roy made a mental note to keep an eye on his friend and look for a way to help him escape.

As they settled in their seats, the rest of the plane filled quickly with passengers and the plane was soon in the air for a 45-minute flight to Fargo. There was an uneasy silence on the plane and the tension was palpable to a point where even Roy felt uncomfortable. He was thankful that the flight would be short jump, but he also knew it would be one of the longest stretches he has ever flown. He watched from the corner of his eye as Johnny closed his eyes and clenched his jaw struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"Hey, you flippin' redskin! What are ya doin' on the plane? Get back on the rez where ya belong!" The male voice snarled from the seat behind where the paramedics were sitting.

Roy's blood began to boil when he heard a passenger behind him make vicious remarks about Native Americans. He fought to restrain himself from creating a scene on the plane and dug his fingernails in the armrest to restrain himself. He turned his head to look behind him and saw a blonde-haired man with the woman who had moved her children away earlier in the terminal and glared back.

"What ya lookin' at ya Injun lover!" The man snarled back at Roy with alcohol on his breath as he hit the back of Roy's seat. "You're just as bad as the redskin sitting next to you."

Roy glared hard at the man and slowly shook his head in disgust. He fought hard to maintain his composure and struggled to keep control of his own growing anger. Johnny looked over at Roy and was surprised by his partner's reactions to the person behind them.

Both men breathed a sigh of relief when the pilot announced their final descent into Fargo. The plane touched down on the tarmac and the pilot announced their arrival.

_ "Welcome to Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakota. It is 5:41 pm central time, clear and the temperature is -15."_

Roy gestured to Johnny to wait before they left the plane and let the other passengers leave first. Not only did Johnny need to regain his composure, but he needed to do it also after the tirades of the passenger sitting behind them. Closing his eyes, Roy took several long, deep breaths and slowly exhaled for several minutes.

"Ready partner?" Roy asked hesitantly as he could see some calmness come back to his friend's face.

"Give me a couple of more minutes partner." Johnny replied softly as he continued to pull himself together. He felt trapped and was unsure of how to capture himself and regroup. "Thanks for letting me get my head back on.

"Any day, any time...," Roy replied as pulled down his and Johnny's carry-on bags and finished zippering his coat.

Johnny smiled bravely at Roy as they both headed out of the plane towards the terminal and a meeting that they were both uncertain about. As Johnny and Roy walked into the lounge area, they looked around for anyone from the Fargo Fire department. They both watched as they were approached by a man wearing a green and gold down jacket and Fargo fire department cap.

"You guys lookin' for someone?" Captain Ericsson asked warmly as he approached Johnny and Roy, smiling. "Gage... DeSoto... welcome to Fargo."

"You must be Captain Roland Ericsson... I'm Roy DeSoto and this is my partner, John Gage," Roy commented as he extended a handshake to Captain Ericsson and Johnny did likewise.

"Just call me Captain or Roland, as that is what my crew calls me." Ericsson replied warmly. "Are you guys ready to go and get some warm food and a little relaxation after your flight?"

Roy and Johnny nodded in agreement as Ericsson gestured that they follow him. The three men headed out of the airport after they had retrieved the last of their bags. As they exited the airport terminal, they were greeted by a blast of cold air while walking to Captain Ericsson's car. As they drove through Fargo, on their way to Captain Ericsson's home, they were greeted by a cold, white world enveloped in darkness that was a mixture of snow, ribbons of ice on the road, and white exhausts clouds rising from the vehicles on the road. People were bundled up in layers and shuffled on icy sidewalks to get quickly from one point to another.

"Gentlemen, I'll give you a better tour tomorrow when we have some daylight. The sun sets pretty early in winter up here," Captain Ericsson commented as they made their way down to south Fargo. "Tonight, we'll just relax and enjoy the evening," as he pulled into the driveway of a large red brick two-story house.

The group made their way into the house from the garage and were greeted by wonderful smells and lively noise of children. As the men entered house, Captain Ericsson was nearly knocked over by his young daughter with long flowing brown pigtails and a big grin.

"DADDY!" shrieked the young girl as she flew into her father's arms.

The captain made a quick recovery and scooped his daughter into his arms. Captain Ericsson leaned over and gave his wife a quick kiss before making introductions.

"John and Roy, I would like to introduce you to my family. This lovely lady is my wife Delora, and my kids Karen, Kelly, Shane and this little lady in my arms is Jessie," Roland said warmly as he looked at his family. "I would like introduce ya all to Roy DeSoto and John Gage. They will be visiting us for a week from Los Angeles."

Roy and Johnny extended their greetings and shook hands with everyone. Roy was glad to see Johnny relax a little after what happened at the airport and on the flight from Minneapolis, but deep down Roy knew Johnny was not completely at ease.

"Gentlemen, follow me and we'll get you settled in your room and you can relax for a little bit before supper," Delora said warmly as a smile spread across her face.

Before she led the guys away, she instructed her daughters to set the table for supper and retrieve an extra chair from the office. Gesturing to Johnny and Roy, she lead the guys down a warmly decorated hallway to a large spacious room with two windows and two beds.

"This room is for you two guys to share and the bathroom is just behind this door here. I have placed extra blankets on the end of the bed if you need them. Supper will be ready shortly. I'll let you rest for a few minutes."

Both Johnny and Roy warmly acknowledged Delora's hospitality and Roy waited until she left the room before speaking to Johnny. "How are you doing?"

"What do you mean Roy?" Johnny asked distantly.

"I've known you too many years, my friend, to know when you're annoyed," Roy stated as he could see the pain in his friend's eyes. Johnny hated being pegged by people and even worse when it was Roy who pegged him.

Glaring sideways at Roy, Johnny grumbled softly, "Yeah, I'm okay ... I guess, still a little annoyed." Johnny shed a couple of his layers and changed into a USC sweatshirt. "Just hoping that it'll be a bit better tomorrow when we meet the crew. Ericsson seems decent."

Roy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Ericsson seems pretty nice."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and a little girl calling Mr. Roy and Mr. John to come for supper. The two guys smiled at her ebullient charm and headed out to the dining room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**[Author's note: Jack Webb, RA Cinader, and Harold Jack Bloom created another show called Sierra that lasted less than a season. Johnny and Roy were sent there for additional Mountain climbing and training in one episode. It aired in 1974.]**

Roy was glad to see Johnny relaxing a bit more and hopefully by tomorrow he would be his normal self, but he knew deep down it would not be easy for his friend. It bothered him to see Johnny upset and for reasons he could not control. A rough shift was one matter, but this was different matter entirely as his friend was being judged for his background and not his character.

As Roy and Johnny entered the dining room, they were greeted by an aroma that was spicy and tantalizing. It was a smell that neither of them knew. The chatter of kids and adults drifted through the air as they observed the interaction between Roland and his children. Roy smiled and mused at the ebullient charm of Roland's youngest daughter.

"Mr. John, come and sit by me, please," Jessie pointed excitedly at the empty chair beside her.

"Why Miss Jessie, I would be honored to sit next to a pretty girl," Johnny said sweetly with shining eyes. Jessie looked up with a big grin and shining brown eyes.

"Ummm... smells wonderful," Roy added as he settled on a chair between Roland's daughters, Karen and Kelly.

Shane chuckled when he sat down at the table wearing a UCLA sweatshirt and a smile broke out across his face, "Uh... Huh...This could be an interesting meal with a USC fan."

"Hey, the USC Trojans won the Rose Bowl this year over Michigan!" Johnny mused warmly as he watched the teenage boy sit down at the table. "Nice shirt, Shane!"

Both Johnny and Shane chuckled about the southern California rivalry making an appearance in Fargo.

"I thought I would serve a special dish that represents my cultural background and my husband's background," Delora said warmly as she dished up servings of mashed potatoes with bison stew and peas. "I hope you gentlemen enjoy it. The stew can also be put in a piece of lefse and eaten as a taco."

Roy and Johnny tried the dish and nodded their approval.

"Hey Roy, I think Marco could have fun with this recipe." Johnny said between bites, nodding his approval. "It is really good."

"I'm glad you like," Delora said happily. "It has bison, red peppers, celery, cilantro, and corn cooked slowly over several hours. I would love to give your friend the recipe."

"I've never had bison before," Roy said between bites. "It is very good and I agree Johnny, Marco could have a lot of fun with this dish."

"You guys mentioned this Marco fellow earlier. Is he one of your crew mates?" Roland queried between bites. "Where does he fit into the outfit of the station?"

"Yes, he is," Roy replied between bites. "Marco Lopez is one of our linesman and a fantastic cook. We have a small station and we all share in doing different chores, including cooking. Marco also serves a translator, if we have a patient who speaks only Spanish."

"Marco's chili is infamous in the department," Johnny added thoughtfully, "along with Mike Stoker's spaghetti recipe. He also makes fantastic fried chicken and it is a real treat at the station when he cooks. Mike's our engineer and drives our big engine that we affectionately call Big Red."

He paused momentarily and he could not help but smile at Jessie, who was hanging on his every word.

"Roy or I usually drive the squad and that has the medical equipment, in addition to some of the rescue equipment like torches, saws, port-a-powers, jaws of life, rappelling gear and the stokes."

Johnny paused momentarily before continuing, "Both Roy and I also do a number of rescues that require the use of ropes for climbing and rappelling. We were even sent to work with a forest ranger station for a couple of weeks up in Sierras. While we were up in the Sierras, we received additional training in mountain climbing and alpine rescue at a National Park Service Ranger Station."

"John, the mountain climbing sounds fun," Shane commented, "I have done some rock climbing, but the lack of rocks around here makes it hard."

"I noted the land was a little flat here," Johnny mused with a wide lop-sided grin spreading across his face. "I also do a lot hiking when I am off-duty."

"Stoker's recipe for spaghetti sounds interesting, I would like to try it," Delora added thoughtfully as it piqued her curiosity about Stoker's recipe.

"We can ask Mike for the recipe next week for you," Roy said warmly. "I am sure he would be more than happy to share it."

Commentary and discussion continued through supper as the children asked questions about life in Los Angeles. They discussed the sights and sounds of Los Angeles, in addition, to what life was like at Station 51 in Carson and their roles at the station.

Johnny regaled in tales of the mischief committed by the Phantom. Roy shook his head in amusement and found Johnny's spin on the Phantom to be rather fascinating since he is usually trying to outsmart Chet.

"The Phantom is believed to be our other linesman, Chester B. Kelly. He often goes by the name Chet and he is a character. He rides on the Big Red along with our Captain and his name is Hank Stanley, Mike Stoker and our other linesman, Marco," Roy stated.

"Sounds like your 'Phantom' fellow could be similar to our 'Spook' character," Roland quipped in amusement as he took a piece of lefse.

"Sounds like it... Hmm, now that could be a really interestin' meeting," Roy observed thoughtfully. He started grinning as he watched Johnny shudder at the idea. "I wonder who would one-up who and who the pigeon would be. On the other hand, the two of them together could be rather frightening."

Johnny shot Roy a parting glance and shook his head as others at the table started to chuckle at the interaction.

Roy was glad that Johnny was starting to relax a little more, but deep down, he had a gut feeling this was the calm before the storm. He truly hoped that things would work out for Johnny.

Delora looked over at her youngest daughter and encouraged her to eat her peas. "Eat your peas, Jessie."

Johnny looked over at her and offered her a deal to eat her peas. "Tell you what, Jessie... I'll have some peas, too," Johnny gestured sweetly as he spooned some on his plate, "and we can eat them together."

A big smile broke out on her face as she took on the challenge.

Roy watched in amazement as Johnny and Jessie ate their peas and gave each other a high-five when they were done. Thinking to himself, Johnny never ceased to amaze him as he had a real charm about him. He certainly did have a way with kids.

As supper neared an end, Roland gestured that they retire to the living room as the kids cleared the table as part of their nightly chores. The guys settled in the living room and talked as the kids finished their chores before joining them. Delora went with Jessie to get her ready for bed.

A little later, Johnny smiled when he saw Jessie appear again dressed in green kitty cat pajamas and a blue robe as she came to wish her father a goodnight with a hug and a kiss. She then bounded over to the couch and offered good night wishes to Roy and Johnny and gave them each a huge hug before scrambling off the couch at her mother's gesture.

"Careful Johnny, Jennifer might get jealous," Roy admonished Johnny playfully with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Is Jennifer your daughter, Roy?" Roland asked, smiling as he watched the interaction Johnny and Roy.

"Yep, my wife's name is Joanne and we have two kids: Jennifer is 7 and Christopher is 10," Roy said proudly. "The kids have adopted Johnny as a surrogate uncle and they love doing things with him."

"Now, now Roy, Jennifer is still my girl,"Johnny said warmly as he shook his head at Roy. "Roland, Roy's kids are really great. I care about them as if they were my own children."

Johnny and Roy continued to talk with Roland and his family until Roland signaled to his older children that it was time for bed and lights out at nine. The kids protested, but they were reminded that it was a school night and they had school in the morning. After some time passed, Johnny turned in for the night as he could feel sleep starting overtake him. He bid Roland and Roy a good night and headed for bed.

"See ya in the morning Roy, Roland!" Johnny said as he stifled a yawn and started to get up from the couch.

Roy acknowledged his partner but decided to stay and talk a little while longer with Roland.

Roland waited until Johnny left the room before speaking. "Roy, your partner seems a bit ill-at-ease tonight. Is everything okay?" Roland asked with with a hint of concern etched in his voice.

Roy took a deep breath and looked for way to broach the subject in a way that would not hurt Johnny.

"He'll be okay... at least I hope so," Roy replied hesitantly. Deep down, he hoped his friend would be okay, but he had his own doubts.

Roy looked at the at the fireplace pensively before continuing, "He had a couple of unpleasant experiences on the way here that left him a little bothered. To be honest, one of the incidents even bothered me. Granted, LA is not free of prejudice and perhaps, I don't see it as overtly there, as I did on the plane coming to Fargo."

The captain observed Roy's discomfort in relaying the experience and listened quietly as Roy continued to convey the events of the flight.

"At the airport before we boarded, this one woman moved her kids away from where were standing at the gate. Later on the plane, this one couple and their kids sat right behind us and attacked Johnny mercilessly for the entire flight," Roy stated distantly as he tried to keep his own emotions in check about the incident.

"It was very upsetting. I'll give Johnny a lot of credit for holding it together on the flight, that took a lot of will power. We both waited a few minutes, before we got off the plane to regain our composure."

Roland sighed before commenting, "I wondered about that because of a couple and their kids who came off the plane before you guys did and his talk was vile and hateful."

He paused for a few moments before continuing, "You and John are safe to vent with me. I don't tolerate prejudice in my home nor with my crew. My wife is of Metís ancestry and I respect and love her too much to tolerate that kind of prejudice. I refuse to let anything hurt her or our friends. You will find the crew is the same way they look out for one another."

Roy carefully weighed what Roland said and he respected the sincerity of his words before speaking, "Thanks... I'm worried about him. He can be tough, sassy, witty, talkative, and sometimes silly but when it comes down to it, he is loyal to a fault. He does have a sensitive side and has proven to be a very loyal friend over the years."

Roy paused for several moments before continuing as he built on Johnny's character, "He is someone you want on your side in a crisis situation and he's been my partner in the paramedic program for over seven years. Johnny was in one of the early classes of paramedics that I helped teach, before we were legally able to practice in the field as paramedics. I tapped him as a partner when I went back into field work. We have been through too much together as a team, both the highs and the lows, and we have saved each other's arses one too many times to count."

Roland could sense the closeness of Johnny and Roy's friendship. He carefully considered the depth of the close friendship between the two men as he used great care to chose his words before commenting, "It is the reason that you are both staying here."

He watched Roy's reaction to his comment. Roy let out the breath he was holding as took Roland's words to heart and slowly nodded.

Roland paused for several moments before continuing with his comment, "With the present mood in Fargo regarding Leonard Peltier and Native Americans in general, I fear not only for John's safety, but yours also. You will be safer here."

He took a deep breath before continuing, "Seriously, I don't think John would've been safe in a hotel. It is an ugly mood in the city right now and outsiders will not be looked upon favorably by some. However, it should be stated that not all people in Fargo share that mindset. The ones who do not share the negative mindset are out there, but hidden."

Roy nodded pensively at Roland's comments and genuinely appreciated his concern. The true nature of the situation in Fargo finally hit home for him and what he and Johnny experienced was an emotion and attitude that was not mentioned in the papers. The fallout and recrimination of prejudice based on one's background was evident in a way he had never experienced in his life.

Roy sat in quiet contemplation as he started to yawn. "Thanks from both of us. I just never realized how volatile of a situation it was in Fargo. The news didn't mention the animosity, just the upcoming trial. I really did not know how tense it was here," Roy replied distantly as digested the words and emotions of the day. "I better turn in. What time do we head over to the station in the morning?"

"You're right, Roy. The media only reports from one angle and that's it and only what they think people want to hear. Just remember, you are both safe in my home. We'll head to the station at 8 am," replied Roland. "We will have bunker pants, cleats, and bunker coats for both of you. Also, the crew is having a potluck tomorrow night welcoming both you and John to Fargo. They are a good lot."

"Thanks... Lookin' forward to it, sounds like fun," Roy replied as a smile spread across his face while trying to stifle a yawn. "Good night, see you in the morning."

"See ya in the morning, Roy," Roland said warmly as he watched Roy head to the his room, he reflected on what Roy said about John. He correctly sensed John's hesitance about the visit and Roy was trying to protect him from further pain. It was a testament of loyalty in a friendship, one looking out for the other. Deep down in his soul, he would do what was needed to ensure the safety and well-being of both men, that he was comfortable to call friends.

He smiled when his wife joined him in the living room, approaching him. He pulled her into a hug and held her tight and Delora could sense the tension in her husband.

"You're worried aren't you?" Delora said softly as she nestled against her husband. Roland absentmindedly played with his wife's hair with his mind deep in thought.

"Yeah, I am. They're both good guys and have already been burned by comments directed at John on the flight from Minneapolis to Fargo. They don't deserve it. It explains a little of John's reticence when I picked them up," Roland stated distantly as he held his wife.

Roland quietly contemplated what Roy said as he held Delora. "My suspicions were corroborated when Roy mentioned the incident on the plane, I recognized the man he described as Steve Lehman's brother, Bill. Steve and Bill Lehman, are quite the pair and I'm glad I don't have Steve on my crew."

He paused briefly before continuing as Delora shifted in his lap.

"But still...," Roland continued distantly as he wrestled with his thoughts and emotions, "I am very concerned, not only for John and Roy, but also for Tad and Aron. The animosity towards Native Americans in the department and in Fargo is very disheartening."

"I don't like it. I want you and the kids to be very careful out there. Promise me that will be careful," as he pulled Delora closer.

Delora listened to what Roland was saying and took his warning to heart. "I noticed that John was a bit uncomfortable, but I was not sure why at first and I now understand," Delora replied distantly. "He seems wounded, yet he has a wonderful spirit. Jessie adores him and she couldn't quit talking about him."

Roland nodded in agreement about Delora's assessment about John Gage.

"I like both of them." Delora replied, "Also, the kids and I will be careful."

Roy quietly slipped into the room and noticed Johnny was still awake. "I thought you would be sleeping, Johnny," He whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been thinking about everything that went down today and I am trying to put things into perspective, but right now I'm feeling a little trapped," Johnny replied distantly. "That guy in the plane really bothered me and I can't shake it. I feel like I'm in a hornet's nest and I don't know which hornet to swat at first"

Roy sat on edge of his bed listening and struggled with what to say as no amount of words could allay Johnny's discomfort and fears.

"I do like Roland and his family. They seem decent and accepting," Johnny said softly.

Johnny's last comment caught Roy off-guard because he had never heard Johnny question being accepted by others.

"Johnny... I don't know what to say, I know you're hurting," Roy commented with a hint of sadness in his voice. "There are those of us who accept you for who you are, matter of fact, Roland even likes you and he can tell you're hurting. He said you're welcomed here as a friend."

Johnny turned his back to Roy and tried to fall asleep as a tear trickled down his cheek. His emotions were in turmoil and he knew he was crazy for questioning Roy's friendship, but logic and emotion were battling in his mind and he was not sure what to think or what direction to go in.

"Good night, Roy," Johnny said distantly with a hint of sadness.

Roy was surprised by Johnny's coldness and shutting him down. He sighed sadly as he he quietly finished getting ready for bed.

"Good night Johnny..." Roy said softly as his voice trailed off.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**[Author's Note: Aron is pronounced as Aaron. The modern 911 system started in 1968 in Alabama and spread to the rest of the country from there. Alameda County installed the system by the early 1970s, about the time show aired. This chapter also reflects on issues affecting Native Americans on and off the reservation at the time of this story. Regarding two of the issues reflected in this chapter, I recommend reading two books: _Lakota Woman_ by Mary Crow Dog and _House Made of Dawn_ by M. Scott Momaday.] [With suggestion from a couple of readers and my cousin, I have added the dialogue in the cafe kitchen back into the story.]  
**

Toward the break of dawn, Johnny gently shook Roy awake as he wanted to talk about his actions the night before. Roy looked at the red digital numbers on the clock showing 5:30 am.

"Roy.. I was thinking about a few things... can we talk?" Johnny asked.

Roy groaned as he shook the sleep from his head. "Johnny?" He responded sleepily as he tried to get his bearings. To be awakened in the middle of the night by klaxons at the station and occasionally by Joanne or the kids was one thing, but to be awakened by Johnny was quite another. It was unusual because Johnny was a private person.

"I need to talk...," Johnny responded somewhat distantly.

Roy finished shaking himself out of his slumbers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He signaled to Johnny, that he was awake by rubbing the sleep from his face.

"Roy... I'm sorry for being cold to you last night. You were being a friend and I was being a jerk. I'm just having a hard time processing everything that has happened," Johnny said apologetically as a hint of sadness appeared in his eyes.

"Johnny," Roy said softly as he looked for words that would help his friend. "I understand, but we can trust Roland. He **is** on your side."

"I realize that partner, but I'm still reeling from the flight," he said distantly. "I had to deal with it all, in a way, that I was not comfortable doing."

Roy nodded at what Johnny said and understood where he was coming from. He knew in the past, when Johnny was troubled or was coming off a rough shift, he went to the beach or the mountains to think and in Fargo, he could not do that.

"Do you still feel trapped...?" Roy asked as his voice trailed off.

"A little," Johnny replied pensively, "because I haven't been able to escape and regroup."

"I can understand that," Roy replied. "You're safe here."

"I'm glad to hear that... We still friends?" A hint of hurt showed in his eyes. He truly did feel bad hurting his friend.

Roy looked over at his friend as a small smile took hold. "Yeah...we've been through too much not to be. You seem more relaxed." Johnny nodded at Roy's last comment.

"Yeah, I am...Thanks, Roy."

The morning dawned bright and cold as the three men headed to Fargo Fire Department, Station 1 near downtown Fargo. The dusky sky gave way to the rising sun and the promise of a frigid day. The brilliant blue sky provided a stage for the sun surrounded by an icy halo and sun dogs. It was a sight that Roy and Johnny had never seen before and they were mesmerized by it. The exhaust from the vehicles hung in the air and created imaginary snakes and arrows angling and puffing behind vehicles.

"There are six stations in town right now with plans to build two or three more over the next 30 years." Roland said as they pulled into the parking lot behind the building.

The intensity of the cold air sapped the moisture from the snow causing it to crackle and break as they walked on it. It penetrated the layers of clothes they wore and stung their eyes and nose. The frigid air acted as an arrow that penetrated the body in a way that could not be explained.

As Ericsson walked into the building towards his office, he barked out to the members of Crew A that there would be a briefing in five minutes. The members of Crew A scurried to get things in order before roll call. The captain showed Roy and Johnny into his office so they could shed their outerwear and relax a few moments before the briefing. Both men donned black LA County Fire Department sweatshirts with 51 on the sleeve and their last names emblazoned on the back. Roland reviewed a few things before roll call and then looked over at Johnny and Roy.

"Ready guys?" Ericsson asked expectantly.

They both nodded to the captain and followed him out into the apparatus bay waiting for briefing to commence, standing off to his left. Captain Roland Ericsson stood in front of the bay as he waited for his crew to assemble for roll call and nodded approvingly before starting the morning briefing.

"Good Morning Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you our visitors from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Please welcome firefighter-paramedics Roy DeSoto and John Gage. They're here this week to learn from us and perhaps teach us a few things also," Ericsson stated.

Ericsson paused briefly, as he allowed Johnny and Roy to briefly say hello before continuing his introductions. As he walked down the line of firefighters and specialists that made up Crew A of Station 1, the captain introduced each person, Johnny and Roy shook hands with each man. The firefighter's names reflected the cultural diversity of the area: Halldorsson, Red Wolf, Daley, Ackerman, Schmidt, Longie, Aurness, Weiss, Turcotte, and Bjornson.

"It appears that the ambulance is out on a run and we'll meet them later," he stated as he directed his comments to Johnny and Roy. Captain Ericsson continued to address assignments to the members of his crew in addition to encouraging them to interact with Johnny and Roy.

"Red Wolf, I'm tapping you to drive for me as we show the guys around." Ericsson stated crisply.

"No problem, Cap." Aron Red Wolf replied warmly.

"Welcome aboard Gage, DeSoto!"

Johnny and Roy acknowledged Red Wolf's words of welcome with a warm smile.

"Longie, how are repairs going on 62?" Captain Ericsson asked.

"Right now I would cheer for temperatures above zero. Not sure how much longer the engine in Lola will take this cold, " Tad replied. "Lola and Bertha are having a rough winter."

The rest of the crew bit their tongues in order not to face the wrath of the captain if they broke out in laughter about the Engine names.

"I am hoping my cousin can retrofit a few of the parts so we can use them. Southern-made vehicles never do well up here. It would also help if people did not gun the engines really hard in this cold," Tad stated.

"Tad, I will pass that information onto the other crews. Umm... I was going to ask what you and Wes call the ladder and snorkel truck but on second thought, it would be better that I don't," Captain chuckled, pausing briefly before continuing.

"John and Roy, Tad is an extraordinary mechanic with a gift for engines. He keeps our engines in running order in addition to rescue work. He occasionally fixes trucks at the other stations also if it's a problem they don't know how to fix."

"Her name is Nessie," Wes offered nonchalantly. "The ladder and snorkel truck is named in honor of the Loch Ness Monster."

The rest of the crew did their best to stifle giggles along with Roy and Johnny. At that point of the captain dismissed his crew to start their assignments shaking his head in amusement. Judging from his sense of humor regarding the truck name, Johnny suspected that Wes might be the station's, resident prankster, named 'Spook'. Roy and Johnny mingled with the crew before departing on a tour with the Captain Ericsson and Aron Red Wolf. Heading to the office, Johnny and Roy grabbed their coats as Tad started the Red and Blue dual-cab squad to let the engine warm up before going outside into the cold.

Roy watched curiously and wondered why they were running the engines with the bay doors cracked. "Why do you let the engines run?" Roy asked as he finished slipping on his winter gear and waited for Roland and Johnny to join them.

"There are two reasons, DeSoto," Aron Red Wolf replied as he checked the keys. "One reason is to keep the diesel fuel that runs the engines from coagulating in the gas line. The second reason is we don't want to cross Tad, if we upset the ladies, better known as his trucks. He has enough of a challenge when it's this cold to keep them running."

Johnny and the captain walked up and joined the conversation.

"If we stop at a place to pay a visit or eat, we can't even shut them down when it is this cold."

"What do you do then?" Johnny asked as he finished zipping his coat and putting on his cap and gloves in preparation for a cold, alien world.

"We lock the doors and leave it running. One reason the trucks have three sets of keys." Red Wolf replied.

The men piled into the truck and bay doors opened to a blast of cold air. The sense of cold permeated the truck as it rumbled into the cold world amid the white whirling exhaust and snow arrows snaking across the street. The whiteness of the landscape was blinding as the sun reflected off the snow covering everything as they made their way down Main Avenue towards the Regional Dispatch Center. The cold air made the rising smoke from the nearby sugar beet plant and heating smokestacks rise and then flatten, almost resembling a table top in the air. The truck pulled into the dispatch center and they piled out to see the operations.

"The dispatch center covers two counties and a number of rural municipalities, including 911 calls for the cities of Fargo and Moorhead," Captain Ericsson stated as the group met the manager of the dispatch center.

The tour continued in the center as the captain wall showed them the maps of the coverage area. "The outlying areas still use regular phone numbers for police and fire as they are still in the process of incorporating the 911 system. It is also not unusual for us to respond to fires in smaller cities in the county, if they need our assistance. We sometimes respond to calls in West Fargo, Mapleton, Harwood, and Horace, which are just outside of the Fargo city limits. Presently all the police, sheriff, fire, F-M Ambulance, and rural EMS calls are routed through here and units are then dispatched. The system is only a couple of years old,"

"There has been a 911 system in place for a few years in Los Angeles County now," Roy replied. "I still remember as a kid you had to call the sheriff's office or the police to get help."

"Roy, do you remember the sheriff in Santa Rosa County we met on a fishing trip, who had us on several rescues, and he wanted to set up an EMS system?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, he wanted to set up a system of EMT-1's to assist with emergencies in a rural county," Roy replied, nodding as he remembered the trip to area. "The county covered by considerable distance and terrain."

"The rural areas are a mixture of small rural, volunteer fire departments in the smaller towns along with EMT's," Roland stated. "It is not unusual for the EMT-1's to bring a patient into St. Luke's Hospital either. We have had situations where F-M Ambulance goes to pick up a patient at a mutual meeting spot from a rural EMT ambulance."

The group stayed for about 45 minutes watching the dispatchers field a number of calls and then route them to the proper agency. The group soon departed continuing to make their way through Fargo as they passed through different neighborhoods, North Dakota State University, and the West Acres area.

Red Wolf's brow furrowed as he noted a change in the weather.

"Hey Captain, I think Tad should keep an eye on the wind and change what bay door is cracked open." Red Wolf suggested.

The wind was really erratic as the snow danced across the road sending streams racing diagonally across the interstate as the group made their way north.

The captain acknowledged Red Wolf's suggestion. The captain radioed the station, "Squad 20 to Station 1."

_"Station 1, go ahead," Tad answered._

"Longie, I want you to shift the doors because the wind is very erratic out here on I-29," Roland stated.

_"I will take care of that," Tad replied, "10-4._"

The group headed back towards the downtown area again going south on Broadway. Pulling into the parking lot of Kroll's Kitchen, Red Wolf locked the vehicle as the others headed into the restaurant to get a seat near a window in order to keep an eye on the squad. The men settled into a booth and waited to be served. The captain ordered hamburgers and Knoephla soup for his party with a young, blonde-haired waitress dressed in blue jeans and a blue shirt.

"Gentlemen, I have taken the liberty to order Knoephla soup and hamburgers. You're about to indulge in a local delicacy," the captain quipped warmly.

Red Wolf grinned at the captain's food ordering expertise. Red Wolf's sly grin was caught by Johnny and he grinned back at Red Wolf's reaction.

"Oh... please, please,... not the lutefisk again...," Red Wolf teased as he recalled the time his captain ordered Lutefisk.

"No, I did that only one time," the captain replied as a hint of exasperation crept into his voice, while fending off Red Wolf's comment with a strained smile.

Johnny's curiosity got to the better of him as he tried to figure out what they were musing about.

"What's Lutefisk?" he asked as he sipped his soda.

"Codfish that is dried, salted and soaked in lye and then served with butter." Red Wolf stated, "it smells awful, it's pure evil, John. Unfortunately, it isn't listed as a toxic substance, but it is listed by some as a weapon for culinary destruction. It makes sauerkraut sound positively gourmet!"

An evil grin spread across Johnny's face as he contemplated a newly hatched idea. Roy shook his head chuckling, as he knew the look.

"You know Roy... Maybe...we can get some for the Phantom," Johnny smirked with sneaky anticipation.

"Johnny... you never cease to amaze me. It won't fly and Cap won't allow you to make it. Besides, he hates fish," Roy replied as he tried to keep a straight face.

"Just pray that Hjelmstad doesn't make it," Red Wolf laughed. "Hjelmstad made it once at the station and it took two weeks to clear the stench from the kitchen."

Johnny smiled at the idea, as he would have loved to have seen Chet try it.

"On the other hand, You could make this Phantom fellow, Rocky Mountain Oysters, also known as bull nuts," Red Wolf commented.

Johnny started laughing at Red Wolf's last comment and seriously contemplated the idea while Roy sat next to him shaking his head.

"That bad...," Roy countered, in reference to the Lutefisk, as his voice trailed off with Red Wolf wincing at the memory.

The captain did his best to ignore the Lutefisk discussion as a slight smile spread on his face. He was glad that the three men in his company had a sense of humor and rapport.

"By the way, Red Wolf, thanks for planting the last idea in Johnny's head."

"No problem.. you're welcome Roy! Glad I could be of service," Red Wolf replied giggling.

The young blonde-haired waitress soon appeared interrupting the playful banter with four steaming bowls of Knoephla soup.

"This is a regional delicacy boys," Ericsson said warmly, "Enjoy!"

"This reminds me of something my grandmother used to make," Johnny chirped. A wide grin over took his face, as the waitress placed a steaming bowl in front of him. Johnny looked at the waitress and gave her a warm smile.

Roy was surprised by Johnny's comment as he rarely heard him talk about his grandmother.

Johnny caught Roy's reaction, "I did grow up eating some German goodies also," he said warmly and his eyes glinted.

Roy filed the comment away in the back of his mind for future reference as he tried to understand another facet of his friend.

The men peacefully ate their meal and talked about sports until their reverie was rudely interrupted by a heated argument coming from the kitchen area. The guys' attention quietly gravitated towards the heated argument between the two male voices grew in volume and intensity. The din grew louder, until the argument spilled over into the dining area and was heard throughout the restaurant.

One voice could be heard chastising another about having to put up with redskins in Fargo taking jobs and contaminating the town. The other voice was heard referring to Indians as trash and the only good one was a dead one.

The first muffled, a gravelly-voiced male was heard amid the clang of dishes, "Hey did you hear they are allowing Redskins to work with the city?"

The second, higher pitched male voice responded, "Yeah... That means less jobs for whites. There are times civil rights really sucks. It should be FOR whites ONLY and not for niggers, chinks, and redskins. The Redskins have no rights, they are dog eaters. Now the government is allowing them to go to OUR schools, take OUR jobs and even worse, allow them copulate with white women."

"Yeah, the fire department has three Redskins.. wonder if any white guys have been scalped... yet?" the first voice said. "They are all on one crew. Just pray they don't come to you house, they may steal."

"I say scalp the red man and burn them at the stake. They crossed the white man when they killed Custer," the second voice replied.

"I say kill every last one of them. I can't believe that the government will allow Peltier to be tried in Fargo. He killed the G-agents, regardless of what the evidence is," the first voice stated.

"Yet the redskins have their supporters, white Red lovers who say Peltier is innocent," the second voice snorted. "I say fuck them all to hell and let dogs eat his corpse. With that being said, Nits grow into lice."

A young, blonde-haired waitress, who served Captain Ericsson and his group, could be seen running into the kitchen and her voice could be heard through the swinging doors, "KNOCK IT OFF YOU EFFIN' JACKASSES! You're upsetting the customers!"

She exited the kitchen and could see the look on their faces and felt bad for the men seated her section. The change in their demeanor saddened her as two of the men with Captain Ericsson were not regulars but visitors from another place.

The quiet demeanor among the four men at the table spoke volumes as the discomfort and disgust became etched on their faces. Johnny clenched his jaw in an effort to keep from mouthing off. His discomfort was not missed by Roy and Captain Ericsson. Red Wolf closed his eyes and struggled with his own emotions as the hatred continued to stream from the kitchen.

Suddenly, another voice could be heard yelling loudly, "You're both fired and you two bastards can get the hell out of my restaurant... NOW!"

Red Wolf shook his head and let a sarcastic chuckle escape, "Good riddance to white rubbish," as he shook his head as he tried to defuse the tension he was feeling. "And I thought Montana was close-minded."

"You're from Montana?" Johnny asked as he started to relax a bit, "Where?"

"Hardin, near the Crow Reservation. Grew up there." Red Wolf stated distantly. "Moved to Fargo to help my sister and her husband. She works at one of the colleges in the area."

"Hmmm... My grandfather is from near Hays, Montana. My parents were sent to Los Angeles through the relocation efforts by the government. My mother is originally from Nebraska. I used to visit my grandparents up on their ranch in the summer." he replied innocently, "I was born in California."

"Relocation...," Red Wolf replied distantly and mused slightly as he drew designs with his spoon in the bottom of his bowl. He sighed heavily before continuing,"Hmmm, it was the BIA's attempt to further destroy our culture and reduce tribal rolls by getting people off the reservation. The goal of relocation was to terminate their tribal rights as part of the BIA's plan to Americanize 'the so-called savages'. Once they were off the reservation, their tribal affiliation was ended and they were stripped of tribal law and protection. They were then at the mercy of white man's laws without any protection of their civil rights. The government and the BIA sanctioned forced sterilization of native women and created boarding schools to complete the Americanizing of the savages. They're two additional blows to the tribal groups up here."

Red Wolf paused for a few moments to collect himself before continuing. "I had high hopes for change with AIM and the siege at Wounded Knee in '73, but I'm not so certain now. There is a supposed bill that guarantees our civil rights but it is hard to see the trees in the forest. There are times when I wonder who the real savages are?"

He sighed heavily and looked off into the distance to collect his thoughts. "If white is the color of purity, why is it so black here?" he mused quietly.

Ericsson looked over at Red Wolf and understood on some level what the man was thinking and the hurt he felt from others in the community. Red Wolf's questions were ones he could not answer as he did not have answers for them. He also understood that Red Wolf and others in the crew needed a safe place to vent. There were very few places in Fargo, especially for Red Wolf and Longie, to express their anger and disappointment in how they were treated by those who did not know them.

Johnny looked at Red Wolf curiously as he kept several comments to himself.

Roy watched Johnny's reactions and wondered what was going on in his friend's head as it was a reaction he had seen only a few times before. Roy was not sure, himself, what to say about the barbarity towards Native Americans. Deep down he found himself agreeing with Red Wolf's assessment but bit his tongue as he processed the information being divulged. He was not sure if he was in a position to comment on the matter because of possibly being misunderstood if he interjected a comment. As he wrestled with the information, deep down he wondered if relocation was the reason Johnny rarely talked about his Native American background. Johnny shared very few conversations about his childhood and Roy rarely pressed the issue, feeling it was Johnny's place to share if he wanted to.

He recalled the day when Chet teased Johnny about his Native American background. Roy recalled the look of disgust on Johnny's face when Chet taunted Johnny about smoking a peace pipe and violating the significance of the symbol. It was the final straw that added to his friend's disgust about the Irishman's antics. Reflecting back on the incident, Roy nor the rest of the crew, were happy with Chet's gesture. Chet's actions resulted in him having to deal with a very angry partner for the remainder of the shift. Through all the bickering and symbolic insults of his background, Johnny never once denigrated Chet's Irish heritage, as the Irish were often looked down upon historically. For that reason, Roy gave Johnny a lot of credit for being the one to show restraint and diplomacy on the issue.

"Red Wolf, can we talk later?" Johnny asked quietly.

Roy was a bit surprised by Johnny's demeanor and watched as Johnny and Red Wolf came to an unspoken understanding. Red Wolf nodded quietly as he seemed to sense a thread of concern from the dark-haired paramedic.

Ericsson caught Roy's reaction and was wondering what was going on.

"Your comments have me thinking and the idea of walking in two worlds has crossed my mind lately," Johnny whispered.

The guys finished their meal and headed back to the station. It was a quiet ride as each man was lost in his own thoughts about the argument in the kitchen. After they returned, Red Wolf and the captain handed Roy and Johnny black bunker pants and black and yellow bunker coats with the suggestion that they should put them as a call could come at a moment's notice. The guys acknowledged the request and quickly slipped into their pants while the Captain and Red Wolf waited before they familiarized them with the rigs.

Red Wolf checked to make sure that the truck had road salt, anti-freeze, extra winter gear, and filled propane torches. Roy repeated to Red Wolf his check list.

"Is the salt for the scene?" Roy asked as he helped shift a few items onto the engine.

"Yes, it helps at the scene and we also carry sand for added traction...," Red Wolf stated as the remainder of his comment was toned out by the klaxon.

_"Engine 45, Pumper Engine 160, and Engine 275... structure fire at 1100 North Broadway, cross street 11th Avenue North. Time out 15:25." _

Johnny and Roy watched curiously and perhaps a bit sad, as the men scurried to put on their gear and jump on the engines. The captain scribbled the address on a piece of paper and handed it to Red Wolf as he hopped into Engine 160 on the passenger side_. _

"Roy! John! Grab your gear and jump on!" Ericsson shouted warmly as he waved to them to jump on the engines. "Hey, we can use a couple of additional warm bodies and you two fit the bill."

Johnny and Roy looked at each other as a big grin spread across their faces. The two firefighter-paramedics grabbed their bunker coats as they flew to the trucks and hopped on. Roy jumped on Pumper Engine 160 and Johnny on Engine 45. Two of the three rigs responding to the fire were from Station 1 and a third one from Station 3.

The vehicles roared to life as Red Wolf handed Roy an additional winter cap and gloves, instructing him to wear them under his gear to keep his head warm under the helmet. Roy looked across the bay and watched as Johnny suited up. The bay doors flew open and the two trucks rolled out. White smoked billowed up when the warm air from the bay met the cold making the rigs appear as a mysterious entity emerging from the white smoke. The sirens blared and resonated in the crisp, cold air.

As the engines approached the scene, the structure appeared to be a storage garage that was fully involved with flames flaring through the roof.

Ericsson hopped down from the Engine and started to bark orders, "Bjornson, Aurness, and Halldorsson start pulling 1-1/2 inch lines and keep them partially open to keep them freezing! Turcotte, put some sand down, NOW!"

He radioed Engine 275, "Come down Seventh street and set up your hoses on the backside of the structure."

"I want two men crew on the hoses working 5 to 8 minute shifts due to the cold," Ericsson barked. Frostbite and hypothermia were a real concern with the temperature hovering around -10 Fahrenheit.

The men strapped cleats on their feet to give added traction on the icy street and sidewalk on the frontage. Turcotte pulled sandbags and salt from the storage bins and started sprinkling the material to help create some traction so they could stand and limit the risk of injury. Aurness and Red Wolf each handed Johnny and Roy cleats from the storage chest behind the seats. The two guys quickly slipped them on and jumped out of the trucks.

Roy followed Red Wolf to the side as they started to check the gauges and prepare the portals for hose attachment to the pumper. The controls were cold and hard to handle as they did not want to turn in the intense cold. Red Wolf, Roy, and Bjornson moved to secure the 1-1/2 inch lines on the side of the pumper.

"Hey Bjornson, give me the torch, I need to melt the ice on the hydrant to attach the feeder to the pumper," Weiss yelled as he tried to chip the ice from the hydrant.

Bjornson grabbed the propane torch from the storage area on the Engine and gave it to Weiss who was trying to chisel the ice from the hydrant. Carefully turning on the torch, Weiss used a propane torch to melt ice on a nearby hydrant to attach the feeder line to the tankers. As the lines were hooked up, the hoses were pulled towards the structure in two-man teams with one man standing behind the other bracing each other on the ice.

As the water landed on the structure, it created an eerie scene of a burned out hull of a castle with columns and streaks of ice columns.

As the fire neared completion, Johnny was partnered with Aurness and they headed towards the structure to dose the roof. "Hey Gage, watch it," Aurness yelled as Johnny headed towards the building. "It's too dangerous to get that close because of the ice. We don't want to dig you out of an ice fall."

Aurness was well aware of the dangers of ice on the building and realized it was something Johnny and Roy would not have experienced in the greater Los Angeles area. As intriguing as the frozen water was on the building, the ice added weight to the structure making it incredibly unstable.

Aurness' warning to Johnny was accurate as a wall on the north side of the building caved from the weight of the ice.

"Hey, watch out!" Ericsson yelled to his crew, "Ice fall, north side," and the sound of crashing wood and ice could be heard shaking the ground and echoing in the cold air.

Johnny acknowledged Aurness as he pulled back a bit from the building just as the sound of crashing ice could be hard on the other side of the building. The two men dragged the hose and settled on the snow bank bracing each other back to back. Johnny struggled to maintain his footing on the icy snow and he was grabbed several times by Aurness to steady him from falling towards the building. The dripping water from the hose turned the snow bank into sheer ice and created strange mounds where the water dripped and froze. The two men maneuvered the hose over a snow bank to reach the roof of the structure. The cold air mingled with the spray from the water creating small icicles on his face and turned his dark eyebrows white.

Johnny felt the cold penetrating his soul as he fought to keep his footing on the snow bank. The air felt like a knife cutting his lungs and making it hard to breathe. It was a surreal feeling as he continued to aim the hose at a spot on the roof. He started to shiver as the cold and water started to chill him.

After five minutes, Turcotte and Ackerman came to relieve Johnny and Aurness. The two men headed to warm up in the warming truck, an old modified school bus used for fires. Johnny was chilled to the bone as he had never felt cold even as a child. Even though he visited his grandparents in Montana, it was always with his family in the summer months. It was a cold he had never experienced before, it was numbing and seemed to steal one's life force. The two guys sat in the bus and Johnny shook uncontrollably.

"Are you okay?" Aurness asked with a hint of concern as he watched Johnny shiver.

"I think so, just cold." Johnny replied as he tried to speak through chattering teeth. "I have never felt cold like that before. It felt like it was cutting you and stealing life. Felt like I was out there for an hour."

Aurness nodded in agreement with Johnny's assessment of the cold. "Amazing how fast one can become cold outside. Just be glad we don't have a really strong wind today. It would feel even worse."

"My only experience with ice is rescuing a guy from an Ice house after a coolant accident at a freezer and the melee at a skating rink. Man, I wish the rest of the crew had cleats for that one," Johnny said as his shivering slowly subsided.

Aurness started giggling about Johnny's comment about the melee at the skating rink. "I hope it wasn't a hockey game?"

"No, it wasn't... it was two clowns in a skating show who started fighting and we tried breaking it up." Johnny smirked. "It was surreal, yet funny as the skaters could remain standing and the cops and us were falling all over the place. Even Cap had a hard time standing up. The sad thing about the incident is that Roy and I have cleats we use for climbing when needed. They were in the squad."

Aurness howled in laughter at the story Johnny was relaying. "I can only imagine the sight!"

While Gage and Aurness were fighting the flames, Roy worked with Red Wolf on the truck monitoring gauges and using anti-freeze to keep threads coated on the ports of the truck. The anti-freeze was used to prevent freezing and damaging the gaskets. The cold made it hard to handle different pulls and read the gauges. The cold and mist from the water created a thin veil on the gauges that made them appear hidden.

Roy rubbed his fist on the gauges so he could read the numbers but as soon as he did the cold started to cover them again. The cold air cut his lungs and made it painful to breathe. Red Wolf signaled to Roy to take a break from the cold and he crawled into the cab. Red Wolf and he took turns sitting in the engine for a few minutes to warm up. As Roy watched from the cab of the engine, he could see how the water coated the building creating a sculpture in a disaster. The sound of the crashing wall was deafening. It was strange noise that echoed in the air amid the dripping water and shouting men. Roy was amazed at how the men could fight a fire in the cold as they had challenges they never had in Los Angeles. He had a large amount of respect for his new found friends and their courage in fighting a fire in the severe cold.

Within an hour, the fire was contained. Engines 45 and 160 readied to return to Station 1 and Engine 275 remained to finish mopping up details.

As the engines backed into the bay, Ericsson signaled the guys on the trucks to change into dry clothes. After the men changed into dry clothes, Halldorsson and Daley started pulling and hanging hose. Tad cleaned the gaskets on the bed of one of the trucks. Weiss and Aurness checked and replenished gear on the two trucks. Roy and Johnny took the towels that were handed to them with instructions to wipe down their cleats and bunk coats. The captain watched over the bay as the men cleaned the hose and returned things to the trucks. Weiss continued to check the ports for cleaning and noticed a problem.

"Hey Longie!" Weiss yelled, "you're not going to like this."

"Ahgg...," Tad sighed as he approached the side of the truck where Weiss stood pointing at the gasket, "What did you hose jockeys do now?" A hint of exasperation echoed in his voice.

"There's a problem with the gasket," Weiss replied as Tad shook his head on his way over to investigate the issue.

Tad's eyes widened when he saw the piece of rubber hanging from the portal. "**YOU** **DAMN HOSE JOCKEYS! You're wrecking the trucks!" **He grumbled loudly.

Tad's loud grumble caused the bay to erupt into controlled laughter.

Johnny watched the transaction curiously and was reminded of the time he and Roy tried to fix the squad. Charlie, the department mechanic, laid into both men addressing them as incompetent hose jockeys due to their attempted repairs.

"Roy, I think Charlie has a double here!" Johnny said, as Roy tried to keep his laughter down as he was recalling the same memory of the squad repair job.

"To be honest, I could see those two guys having a discussion about the issues that hose jockeys may cause, Johnny." Roy said, as he leaned towards the junior paramedic. "Then again, I don't think I would want to be the proverbial fly on the wall for that discussion.

"You know it...It wouldn't be pretty, Roy," Johnny cracked as he pondered the thought. "Hose jockey jokes would be flying fast and furious."

The bantering continued as the guys of Station 1 exchanged bad hose jokes and witty barbs.

"Hey Wes, you got a date for the party tonight?" Daley yelled as he continued stretching and cleaning the hose.

"For me to know and you to find out, you clowns!" Wes snorted playfully as a snowball went sailing from a hidden location on the truck, hitting Daley in the back.

Two more snowballs went flying nailing Ackerman and Aurness who had turned their attention to cleaning the hose after supplies were replenished on the engines. Wes and Tad continued doing their tasks as the paramedics observed the shenanigans. They exchanged looks and tried to hide their amusement. Johnny poked Roy and suggested that he should watch Wes and his hidden supply of snowballs in the cleaning bucket. Johnny grinned as Wes let slip another snowball into the air, this time nailing Turcotte, who also was helping Daley with the hose. Wes continued cleaning the engine as Turcotte looked around to see where the snowball came originated.

"Damn you Spook!" Turcotte grumbled as he nursed a wet head.

"Okay! Which one of you two bozos sent the snowballs sailing?" Daley grumbled as he wiped the snow off his head.

Johnny, Roy, Tad and Wes looked over at the snowballed victims innocently.

"I doubt the guys from Los Angeles would throw them as snow doesn't exist there." Roy and Johnny looked at each other and did their best to look innocent.

Johnny contemplated the deeds of the mischief maker before whispering to the senior paramedic. "Roy, this guy could really give 'the Phantom' a run for his money," he smirked mischievously, "I may need to have a conversation with him to get a few pointers on handling Chester B."

Roy shook his head and sighed before responding incredulously, "You two never quit, do you...and if Cap caught you with a bucket of snowballs, you would be pulling latrine duty for the next year!"

With that thought in mind, Roy was glad that Los Angeles rarely got snow. They were interrupted in their observations and amusements, when the Captain walked up behind them.

"So what did you guys think of fighting a fire in sub-zero temperatures?" Captain Ericsson asked.

"It was different experience," Roy stated, "It was a real challenge to keep your mind on the job and off the cold. Clearly, there are definitely different dangers here compared to LA. Where you fight the cold in the winter, we struggle with heat in the summer, especially during wildfire season."

Johnny nodded in agreement with Roy's comment. "Another challenge is keeping your footing on the ice especially after the water from the hose starts coating and freezing on the ground. The cold, wet hoses become quite slippery when you are trying to hang on them. I felt my hand freezing to it." he stated. "The seasons clearly dictate what you contend with for fighting fires."

The conversation was interrupted after several minutes by the volume of increasing grumbles from the hose area. Ericsson excused himself to investigate. He listened to the complaints and shook his head.

"Knock it off, **NOW**!" Ericsson barked. "This is a fire station not a damn kindergarten playground. My five-year-old daughter is better behaved than you hooligans!"

The bellow from the captain caught everyone's attention and people resumed their assigned tasks quietly.

The captain then approached Johnny and Roy after settling down the malcontent due to the snowball incident. "Well guys, I think we should go and relax before the potluck, I guess we will be on TV tonight as the department wants to promote you guys."

Johnny looked at Roy and shook his head. "I just hope I do better than the last time I was interviewed." Johnny said.

"If not, I'll be there to bail you out again," Roy laughed as he gave his friend a pat on the back. "This time you can blame it on the cold."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

[**Author's Note: In 1975, Robert Asp of Hawley, MN started building a Viking longboat in a potato warehouse in Hawley. The longboat was christened the ****_"Hjemkomst"_**** and it sailed back to Norway via the Great Lakes, Erie Canal, the Hudson River to New York City, and then across the Atlantic to Bergen, Norway in 1982. It presently resides at the Heritage Hjemkomst center in Moorhead. Yes.. the Minnesota Vikings were in the Super Bowl in 1977!]**

The noise in the apparatus bay quieted down as people continued to replenish the rigs and packing hose, the bay doors opened and Ambulance 60 backed into its spot for a crew change. Sid Allmaras swung out of the driver's side of the vehicle and warmly welcomed the captain approaching him.

"Hey Roland," Sid called out warmly, watching his old friend approach. "I was wondering if Tad could do a quick oil change on the ambulance since we have a road trip tomorrow."

"Sid, glad to see that you and Jake made it back in one piece," Captain Ericsson responded warmly. "I'll check into it quick."

"Was there any doubt," Sid laughed.

"TAD!" Ericsson yelled as he craned his neck looking around for the dark-haired, mechanic-specialist and he finally spied him talking with Wes near Engine 60. The captain noted they were discussing a repair on one of the gaskets damaged on the last run.

Tad looked over towards the ambulance when he heard his name called and began to walk in the direction of the Captain's voice. "Yeah, What's up?" Tad asked as he approached the side of the ambulance.

"Can you do a quick oil change on the ambulance?" Ericsson asked, "They have road trip tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Wes and I can do it right now. It won't take long." Tad replied. "I'll also check the anti-freeze in the rig."

"Thanks!" Allmaras replied appreciatively. "Appreciate it, Tad."

"HEY WES...!" Tad yelled, "Grab the drain pan, oil, and a filter for the ambulance."

Wes acknowledged Tad's request with a thumb's up and headed off to retrieve the requested materials needed to do an oil change.

"John... Roy.., I want to introduce to the crew from Ambulance 60, as you will be riding with them tomorrow," Captain Ericsson said warmly. "Sid Allmaras and Jake Matthews, you both missed this morning's briefing and introductions. John Gage and Roy DeSoto are firefighter-paramedics from Los Angeles County and they are part of the exchange between Los Angeles County and us."

"Welcome to Fargo, John... Roy...," both men chorused as they extended a handshake and a welcoming smile to them.

"Cold enough for you gentlemen?" Jake smirked as a grin spread across his face.

"It definitely changes your perception of what cold is, I would have to say it is bone-chilling." Roy quipped. "One of our crew mates, has a cousin, who is a firefighter at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. We were warned."

"Nice to meet you guys," Johnny said warmly. "The cold is a challenge and it is a new experience for both of us. You mentioned a road trip tomorrow, Sid. What's up with that?"

"We have to go to a small, rural hospital with supplies for the EMT rigs up there and pick up a patient that is being transferred to a Fargo hospital. We serve two hospitals in Fargo and one in Moorhead."

Roy listened thoughtfully to the exchange between Sid, Jake, and Johnny while formulating several thoughts about the role of the ambulance service. "Is this typical for you guys?" He asked.

"Yes, it is. It allows for a network between rural and urban. It's not perfect, but it's doable," Sid replied. "It should be interesting to hear your insight. I'm looking forward to it. We will see you both at 8 am."

The captain listened to the exchange and had a good feeling about the rapport between the four men. "Hate to interrupt, but Sid and Jake are you both staying for the potluck?" Ericsson asked.

"We certainly plan on it, right Jake?" Sid asserted. "We would be stupid if we missed Delora's stew and Halldorsson's wife's macaroni salad."

The dark-haired paramedic driver looked over at this red-headed partner who nodded in agreement as a wide grin spread across his face.

As the conversations continued, Bjornson walked up to the group and informed the captain that he had a phone call. "Sorry gentlemen, I need to take this," Ericsson said.

After a few minutes, the captain returned and he seemed troubled from the phone call he just took. "Hey! Lets gather in the front for a quick briefing," he called out.

He waited for several minutes before proceeding with the briefing for his men to assemble in the front. The captain's voice had men appearing from the day room and several areas around the bay. Johnny smiled as he watched two guys slide down the pole. He nudged Roy and pointed to the pole. Johnny was thinking to himself that he wanted to take slide down the pole as Station 51 did not have one.

"Gentlemen, we are standing down at 1900 hours and Crew B will be coming in at that time to man the equipment. Let's get the vehicles ready for them," as Captain Ericsson addressed his men, pausing briefly before continuing, "I expect good behavior at the potluck as a television crew will be present."

Red Wolf glared hard at Captain Ericsson after his comment about Crew B coming in early. The thought of running into Steve Lehmann did not sit well with him as Lehmann's hatred for non-whites was well-known among many of the firefighters in the department. Tad exchanged unspoken words with Red Wolf as both men have had dealings with the man that have been less than pleasant. The mere mention of Lehmann's name needled the men as they reacted to the news with silent rage and discomfort. Fire burned in their eyes. The change in demeanor caught both Roy and Johnny's attention as they wondered what was going down.

"I'll be on my best behavior..., unless I am forced to take out the damn white trash," Red Wolf snorted raggedly as he struggled to control the rage within him. "A real fireman never denigrates their brother."

"Captain, is there way we can keep Lehmann out of the day room for the potluck?" Halldorsson asked. "I would prefer not to deal with that viper's venom. As for the rest of Crew B, I don't mind their company, but I can't deal with him. I will stand by my friends, including John and Roy. They demonstrated what camaraderie is today by their professionalism and sense of humor."

Members of the crew murmured their support regarding Red Wolf's position and Halldorsson's words. It was a close-knit crew that respected one another for their merits not their background. It was a sense of trust they had for each other, that other crews wished they had.

"Red Wolf, if you need help with disposing the white trash, I am certain most the crew would help you," Wes stated in support of his crew mate.

The crew nodded in support at Wes' suggestion. The captain acknowledged the camaraderie and dismissed his crew from the briefing.

"Tad..., Red Wolf.., can I speak with you two, in my office, please. John and Roy, you guys can come also," Ericsson requested, as his crew milled around to talk.

The five men proceeded to the Captain's office and settled nervously on chairs and on a nearby desk typically used by the Ambulance-EMT crews for working on logs and reports.

"I... suspect you are wondering, why I called you men into the office. Well, I wanted to address something with the four of you before the men from Crew B got here," Ericsson said distantly as he slowly let out a heavy sigh before continuing, while searching for words to alleviate their discomfort.

"I'm not exactly happy either, about them coming in early, primarily because of Lehmann. Let's get some of the venting out now," Ericsson commented.

Red Wolf's eyes burned with anger as he snorted in disgust at the thought of Lehmann coming in early. Tad placed a hand on the shoulder of his friend. "Hey brother, I'm with you and the crew also has your back," Tad stated solemnly.

Ericsson caught Tad's comments and his heart ached for all four men. "Tad, Red Wolf, you will not be alone in your discomfort. I'll be with you along with John and Roy."

Johnny and Roy looked at each other and then back at the other three men and wondered what was happening. At that point, Johnny felt a chill run down his spine as an arrow of fear penetrated his soul. He connected Red Wolf's reaction to the Ericsson's comment about Crew B coming early. With a raised eyebrow, he grew more suspicious and leaned in a bit closer for additional details.

Johnny caught the anger burning in Red Wolf's eyes, "I take it Lehmann has the social graces of a rabid dog," he commented coldly.

"You're being way too generous with your description of a racist asshole," Tad replied. "His poison cuts and destroys like a tainted arrow. He is not a human being and lower than the lowest of earth's creatures. Coyote has more respect than him."

Johnny nodded as he started to understand the ramifications of what Tad said. From the stories he had heard as a child from his grandfather, the Coyote was a trickster and for a human being to be referenced below the Coyote was not a good thing.

"Men, it appears that Lehmann will be showing up with Crew B against my wishes. The man's venomous rhetoric will only worsen as Peltier's trial approaches. I advised the Chief to block Lehmann from coming to the station during Roy and Johnny's visit and he refused to listen. He thinks Lehmann is harmless." Ericsson paused briefly before continuing and ran his hand through his graying hair.

"Hmmmmph, the fire chief is blind and foolish," Red Wolf interjected.

"Steve Lehmann is as vile as his brother, Bill. John and Roy had the unfortunate experience of running into him on the plane," Ericsson stated as defeat crept into his voice. He wiped the frustration from his face before continuing, "They're vile lot. I feel for you guys, I really do... I just wish I knew what I could do to defuse the situation."

"There is only so much you can do, Captain," Tad said distantly, as he struggled with his own anger. "Thanks for being honest and letting us vent."

Johnny was uncertain what to think as part of him wanted to run, but he knew that was out of the question. Closing his eyes, he struggled with his own emotions as past experiences needled him to react. He was thankful that he was not alone in his discomfort and Roy was with him. Thinking to himself, he knew that he needed to keep his cool, _"Come on Gage, pull it together." _He concentrated on his breathing before he looked over at his partner as fear became etched in his brown eyes.

Roy flinched as he remembered the man from the flight. The captain was right, he was vile and his venom, destructive. Looking over at his friend, he watched as Johnny struggled with his emotions. He sensed that Johnny wanted to escape, but was uncertain how to help him do that.

The captain sensed the growing discomfort in both Johnny and Roy. "If it's any consolation, the crew is behind you four," he stated softly. "John and Roy, you garnered a lot of respect and camaraderie on the run today, through your professionalism and by jumping in."

"I'll agree with you Roland about Roy and John," Red Wolf replied distantly. "They're both a class act."

The two paramedics acknowledged both the Captain and Red Wolf's words and nodded.

The captain let the men remain in his office for a bit to allow them some down time before returning to the apparatus bay to finish their tasks. After some time passed, Johnny and Roy remained behind as Red Wolf, Tad, and Ericsson headed back to finish their assigned chores. Roy watched Johnny closely as he struggled with his emotions.

"You, okay?"

"I'm not sure, Roy. I don't know what to do...," he said distantly and his brown eyes filled with fear, "I really don't... I am feeling trapped right now with invisible sticks being poked at me. In some ways, I would rather deal with Brice." He closed his eyes and ran his hand through is dark hair.

Roy put his face in his hands as his elbows rested on the desk. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, searching for words to help his friend. He knew Johnny needed to escape but there was nowhere for him to escape to. They were both trapped in a structure they did not know how to escape from. They understood the mechanics of fire and accidents on a run but this was something far more sinister that neither knew how to react.

"I'm feeling the same way," Roy sighed as he dealt with his own feelings. "I'm not sure what to say either to you or the guys on Roland's crew. I've never known prejudice to be this overt in a work place. Granted, Los Angeles is not perfect by any means. I remember the Watts riot in the city of Los Angeles just before I entered the fire academy and the bad feelings it created. I fear, if I say something, it will come off wrong and upset the proverbial hornet's nest even more. It is a minefield and I don't know where to step."

Johnny watched as Roy struggled with what he was saying. It was a side of his friend he rarely saw.

Roy rubbed his face and sighed heavily before deliberately stating, "If it is any consolation Johnny, I will help them dispose the white trash."

Johnny looked over at Roy as he tried to understand another aspect of his friend that rather surprised him. He always knew Roy as the level-headed one and this facet surprised him. In all the years he had known Roy, he had only seen him truly troubled a few times outside of work. He knew Roy as being the level-headed on in the field, also. There were only two times in the field, that he recalled Roy being rattled from events. The presence of overt prejudice in the work setting was new to both of them.

Their reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door. Roy stood up from the desk he was sitting at and reached for the door handle to let Aurness in.

"Hey.. John... Roy... for what it's worth," Aurness stated solemnly, as he poked his head into the office, "The crew is on your side and we will do what we can to keep our 'brothers' safe. Another way of saying you BOTH are one with this crew."

Johnny and Roy acknowledged Aurness' words. "Thanks!," they both replied.

"You are more than welcomed to join us for a friendly card game before the potluck," Aurness offered.

Johnny and Roy nodded positively at Aurness' offer. "Give us a few more minutes, okay," Johnny replied as he offered a weak smile. "And one more thing... Thanks!"

Aurness nodded and slowly closed the door to let the guys talk.

"Roy, I am not sure what to do but it seems like the crew has our backs. I hope that is the case," Johnny stated as he wiped the frustration from his face.

"I agree," Roy said distantly. "Let's go and relax with the crew. We can talk some more later tonight." He stood up and placed a supportive hand on Johnny's shoulder.

As the cleaning assignments slowly wrapped up from the run, a number of individuals from Crew A started to drift into the day room.

Roy and Johnny emerged from the office and noticed several guys headed towards the day room. Tad had changed into a clean uniform and was offering advice on women to Wes as they headed for some downtime with friends. Halldorsson spotted Johnny and Roy and waved them over.

"Hey! You guys wanna join us in a card game?" Halldorsson chirped as he headed towards the day room.

Johnny and Roy shrugged their shoulders and nodded. "We're game!"

As the men neared the day room, the noise spilled out into the apparatus bay. Johnny grinned as the guys started to get set up for the card game. Roy settled on a chair near Bjornson, Wes and Tad; while Johnny settled on a chair near Red Wolf and Halldorsson. Aurness, Daley, and Turcotte sat nearby and watched the game unfold and offer assistance to Roy and Johnny, if they needed it.

As the game became more organized, Ackerman, Allmaras, Matthews, and Weiss walked into the day room and opted to watch television. One of them noted that Johnny had taken off his sweatshirt. Ackerman chuckled at Johnny's Los Angeles Rams shirt.

Ackerman coughed teasingly, "Umm... John... you might want to be careful with your shirt... you're in Vikings territory, ya know." Ackerman pointed playfully to the Minnesota Vikings flag hanging on the wall. "We're still licking our wounds after the Super Bowl."

"Ah, Johnny... er John, You are very brave to wear that LA Rams shirt here," Turcotte chided playfully, after he saw the Rams logo on Johnny's shirt. "But we do forgive you..."

"I am flattered... Never thought of that when I packed for coming to Fargo. I was just packing warm clothes," Johnny commented as he laid his LACoFD sweatshirt on the back of the chair to put back on before the potluck. "Well, I still say that the Rams should have won that game and gone onto the Super Bowl."

"Nah... Oakland should have lost their playoff game," Ackerman retorted. "Unfortunately, California had its revenge on the Vikings at the Super Bowl. The Vikes defeated two California teams and lost to the another one. Damn Raiders..."

"I remember watching that game at the station. I was actually pulling for the Vikings," Johnny said as he pulled the chair out. Grinning widely, "I'm glad you forgive me."

"And here I thought you were a Raiders fan," Roy teased.

"I had to cheer for the Vikings to annoy Chet," Johnny snorted playfully.

"I was thankful the squad didn't have to work the game," Roy replied and we were on shift for that weekend. "After working a USC-Stanford game, I don't ever want to work another football game again."

"That bad...working the game?" Tad asked

"You don't get to enjoy the game, Tad," Roy answered.

"Don't feel bad John... The Broncos did not even make the playoffs!," Red Wolf said. "So gentlemen, are we playing cards or talking sports here..."

"Hey guys, my friends just call me Johnny," he stated politely to the formal use of his name by several men in the room. "Feel free to use it."

"So gentlemen, what are we playing?" Johnny asked with a glint of mischief in his eyes, as he pulled his chair up closer to the table.

Roy watched as Johnny tried to put on a good show, but he knew how Johnny's mind worked on some level and probably more than he wanted to admit. Johnny was hurting and he did not know how to help him.

"Uff-da Poker," Halldorsson offered. "Normally, we play for dishes duty and in the case of this game, it is the winner who does the dishes. It is similar to Texas-style poker but the points are reversed and the winner is whoever has the lowest amount of points. Jokers are deemed as negative points and they will reduce your points total!"

"Is this game... the station's own creation?" Roy asked as he studied his cards.

"Yeah, we were running out of games," Halldorsson commented as he rearranged his hand.

"Umm buddy, why don't you tell them the truth about your playing prowess," Tad interjected playfully as he rearranged his own cards and threw a few M&M's into the pot.

"Talking about your playing prowess again, Tad?" Bjornson volunteered playfully, "If I recall correctly, you have been doing dishes along with Halldorsson for awhile."

Tad shot Bjornson a facetious grin and shook his head.

Roy caught the rapport among the guys and decided to play along and shot a playful glance to Johnny. Johnny shook his head as he knew where Roy was going with his comment.

"I seem to remember a game at Station 51 that a certain crew mate made up onetime because he didn't want to do dishes," Roy said teasingly.

Johnny looked at Roy defiantly, "Now, now partner, the game wasn't that bad."

"And this crew mate lost, in the game he created," Roy teased. "It was original. I'll give him that."

The guys at the table caught the nature of the conversation and chuckled at the exchange between Johnny and Roy.

"Careful... partner, I ... just might have to have a conversation here with the resident 'Spook'," Johnny countered as he shot a knowing look to Wes.

Wes caught Johnny's glance and grinned evilly. Roy looked at both men nervously as he was not sure what they were plotting. But, he knew the look on Johnny's face and it meant that he was in plotting mode.

"Great minds think alike, partner," Johnny said warmly as he leaned forward to throw a few more M&M's into the pot.

"Ahhhh... Roy, I think you're in trouble," Daley teased, "Wes, here is pure evil."

"DALEY!" Wes recoiled in mock horror, "How can you say that... I...I...I am charming, effervescent, and totally innocent!"

"Harumph! Right.. and I have ocean front property for sale in the state of Montana," Daley retorted.

"There are no oceans in Montana," Wes stated sarcastically.

"My point exactly!" Daley replied.

Daley's last comment caused the room to erupt into laughter.

As the card game continued, others in the day room continued to talk or watch television.

"Hey Aurness, I know you're from Hawley... What is this about a guy building a Viking longboat?" Daley asked. "Is it a model or an actual longboat?"

"It's an actual longboat. He apparently established a "shipyard" in an old abandoned potato warehouse to build it." Aurness said, pausing briefly as he caught Johnny and Roy's attention.

"It is made of locally milled white oak and measures 76 feet long and 17 feet at the widest topside planks in the middle and ends taper to a point. it has a narrow base and is progressively wider on the sides in the middle. It is an exact replica of the Gökstad longboat, a 9th century Viking ship, that was discovered in Norway in 1881. It was powered by large crews using oars. He hopes to sail it back to Norway."

"Forgive me for asking, but what is a Viking longboat?" Roy asked as he tried to picture such a thing on the prairie. A prairie schooner or covered wagon back in the day was one thing, but a Viking longboat was quite another matter entirely.

"The longboat is a vessel used by the Vikings to invade and pillage Europe, especially the monasteries in England and Ireland. They even established settlements throughout parts of Europe, in addition to Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland at L'anse aux Meadows."

"There is no water here...," Johnny countered as he tried to picture the boat in his mind.

"Well... Johnny... that depends on how you define water," Daley commented. "We do have a temperamental river located at the bottom of a glacial lake bed. The temperamental Red River of the North actually flows north and it likes to leave its banks every once in awhile and wreak havoc upon the land. There is also the lakes country in Minnesota."

"That isn't going to get them to Norway," Turcotte added. "The Red River flows north and dumps into Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. The only way it would work to sail it to Norway is haul it across Minnesota to the St. Croix River or Duluth harbor on Lake Superior and sail from there."

"How do they propose to get it out of the potato warehouse?" Johnny asked as he tried to picture the boat.

"That is a very good question, Johnny," Turcotte countered.

"Any ideas Aurness?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself," Aurness replied. "It is nearly the length, width, and height of the warehouse."

As the discussion continued about the Viking longboat, Ackerman dug in a pile of old newspapers for a recent article and photo essay on the building of the boat that had appeared recently in the paper. Pulling the paper from the pile, he handed the paper to Turcotte to show Johnny and Roy a picture of the boat being built.

Turcotte handed the paper to Roy to see the photo essay of the ship. Near the pictures was scale drawing of the Viking longboat. Roy looked at the graphics and handed it to Johnny. The images gave them a clearer picture of the boat.

"Can I keep this?" Roy asked. "Otherwise, the guys at 51s will never believe this."

"Go ahead Roy," Ackerman said warmly.

"I can get you a few more pictures also," Aurness offered.

"That would be great," Roy replied enthusiastically. "Thank you!"

Roy looked at the pictures for a few more moments before offering another question. "Why is he building this boat?" Roy asked as he tried to wrap his mind around the reason for its construction.

"To celebrate and honor his Nordic heritage," Aurness replied. "It is tentatively called the Hjemkomst."

"The Hemkomt,"Johnny said hesitantly.

"Not quite, but that is a very good stab at the word, Johnny," Bjornson said. "It's Yem-komst. The Hj is more of a Y sound."

During the exchange regarding the longboat, Captain Ericsson walked into the day room and grinned at the lively discussion. It was something that he rarely saw with the other crews and it was that sense of camaraderie. He smiled at Roy and Johnny as they tried to comprehend the longboat construction in Hawley. He was pleased to see the two Los Angeles County firefighter-paramedics blend in well with his crew.

"Well gentlemen," Ericsson announced warmly, "I hate to break up this lively discussion, but we need to start getting ready for the potluck."

A hint of disappointment echoed among the men with the captain's announcement. Ericsson looked over at the table and the collection of M&M's in the middle in a brown bowl. "So... who's the lucky winner tonight?" Ericsson asked.

"Hmmmmmm... the lucky winner is...," Tad said distantly as he quickly added the point totals. "Hey, there are two new pigeons for dirty dishes: Bjornson and Wes! Congratulations guys!"

Tad's announcement caused the room to erupt into laughter. As the laughter subsided, the Captain gestured and directed the men to rearrange some of the furniture and place the tables against the wall. The large cushioned chairs were hauled out into the apparatus bay and wooden chairs were brought in. As the last of the large pieces of furniture were removed from the day room, several women came into the station bearing casseroles and crock pots with various aromas. The captain signaled Wes and Bjornson to help with the setup of the potluck.

Johnny, Sid, Jake, and Turcotte settled in the cushioned chairs in the apparatus bay as everyone scurried around them to get things ready or change into their uniforms. Johnny ran a quick hand through his dark hair and smoothed it down. While Johnny was messing with his hair, Roy shined his badge a little on his shirt sleeve. Johnny watched as the captain greeted his wife and family. Johnny became intrigued by a slender, dark-haired woman giving Captain Ericsson a hug. He watched her closely as she was not Roland's daughters but someone totally different. Turcotte also picked up on what Johnny was staring at and soon both men were mesmerized by the raven-haired beauty.

Sid and Jake smiled as they watched Johnny and Turcotte's reaction to the young woman hugging the captain. Sid elbowed Roy.

"Ummmm Roy, it appears Turcotte and your friend are in raven-haired beauty observation mode," Sid snickered.

Roy shook his head at Sid's comment. "It never fails...," Roy sighed as he followed Johnny's gaze as he watched the young woman following Captain Ericsson and Delora into the day room. Roy chuckled to himself, considering everything that had happened. The pretty lady definitely caught Johnny's attention.

Jake went over to the ambulance to grab a stethoscope and gave it to Sid.

"Earth to Johnny...," Roy chuckled as the expression on Johnny's face was that of an awestruck male hit in the soul by the arrow of a beautiful woman.

"Maybe we should get his vitals," Sid offered.

"I'm game," Roy said mischievously.

Getting no response from Roy's comment to Johnny, Sid handed Roy a stethoscope as they prepared to take Johnny and Turcotte's vitals.

"Do you think we'll need a gurney?" Jake asked in fiendish chuckle.

"Nah..., we might be able to save them," Roy responded with a wide grin.

Jake approached Turcotte, while Roy and Sid approached Johnny. Sid picked up Johnny's wrist as Roy laid the stethoscope on Johnny's chest. The sudden activity around both men broke the reverie they were in and they soon realized that Sid, Roy, and Jake were checking their vitals.

"Wha...What the... hahahaha!" Johnny snorted as he pushed the stethoscope away, "What are you guys, comedians!"

"Well, we're concerned about your well-being. You both appeared catatonic," Roy chided playfully, as he watched Johnny recover his senses, while returning the stethoscope to Sid.

"By the way Roy, his pulse was normal and his respiration was normal," Sid stated as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"His BP was 120 over 65," Roy reported as he gave Sid a wink. "Do you think we still need to transport him?"

"Nah..., his color is returning," Jake chimed as he tried to keep a straight face.

Johnny shook his head and narrowed his eyes, while shooting an annoyed look at his partner, "I'm surrounded by the Three Stooges!"

Johnny's comment resulted in the three guys collapsing in laughter. Johnny and Turcotte shook their heads and watched as the three guys were laughing uncontrollably at their expense.

Red Wolf walked over to join the amusement and playfully asked, "Everything all right here?"

The laughter of Roy and Sid was quite infectious. "The patient will make a full recovery from Pretty lady shock," Jake responded breathlessly between laughs.

"Who is this lady that has you so mesmerized?" Red Wolf asked as he tried to keep a straight face.

"She came in with Delora Ericsson and her brood," Jake explained as he tried to get his laughter under control. "Johnny and Turcotte were quite dazzled by her. We even had to check their vitals."

"Hmmm... I have to agree with Johnny, the captain's niece is a stunning woman," Red Wolf replied as a wide grin spread across his face.

Johnny nodded in agreement with Red Wolf's assessment of the raven-haired beauty he saw walk into the day room.

"Let's see... Johnny, you'll have little competition for her from Wes, Tad, Bjornson, me, and Turcotte, as we are all single. The rest of the crew is either engaged or married.

Roy watched the discussion with great fascination. Thinking to himself that this could make for a rather interesting evening of six men vying for one woman. He suspected it would be highly entertaining watching them in action.

As the preparations for the potluck continued, more people started to trickle in with food and they intermingled with members of Crew B coming on-shift. Red Wolf watched their arrival carefully as he wanted to avoid interaction with Steve Lehmann. Red Wolf was not the only member of the crew that noted the arrival of Crew B. Aurness, Wes, and several others were in the apparatus bay to watch for the arrival of Lehmann and steer him away from the day room. Daley took up a position near the entrance of the day room. Ackerman and Halldorsson walked among the rigs nervously as they kept a watchful eye on Crew B.

At a moment's notice, the mood went from relaxed and jovial among the crew in the bay to being on high alert as different individuals alerted one another about Lehmann's arrival at the station through unspoken words. The tension was palpable. As the word spread, several more crew members moved closer to the day room to create a presence.

The captain of Crew B, Bill Haakenson, arrived and exchanged a few words with Captain Ericsson. He was surprised to see so many of Ericsson's men in defense mode and he was acutely aware why. Ericsson briefly introduced Johnny and Roy as Red Wolf eyed Haakenson carefully. In many ways, Haakenson was envious of Ericsson's crew because of their loyalty to one another. It was something he did not have, primarily because of Lehmann. No one on his crew trusted Lehmann and it only seemed to fuel his hate. Yet, he could not blame members of Ericsson's crew of being suspicious of even him, due to Lehmann's hatred of Native Americans. His eyes met Red Wolf's eyes and he could sense the young man's anger.

After meeting John and Roy, Haakenson could understand why Roland's crew was protective of them and they accepted the Los Angeles County men as part of their own crew. Part of him was sorry that he would not have the opportunity to get to know the talented John Gage. He was impressed by the young firefighter-paramedic's credentials.

Tensions mounted as Lehmann approached the station door. The change in the air was electric among the men and it was not missed by Johnny and Roy as Red Wolf's posture stiffened. Eyes suddenly became trained on the door from the back lot of the station. Wes walked up to Tad and he whispered in his ear. The men from Ericsson's crew and a few individuals, who they trusted from Crew B, took up positions to steer Lehmann away from Red Wolf, Roy, and Johnny.

"There is a little crew-warming gift for Lehmann in his locker," whispered Wes with his eyes burning.

"What did you do?" Tad asked in a low whisper.

"Just a few dyed snowballs in several colors," Wes replied, "that are aimed at him when he opens the locker."

"I hope the Captain does not know about this," Tad replied.

"I doubt he will do anything to us," Wes countered. "He hates Lehmann about as much as we do."

Johnny's dark brown eyes darted back and forth around the bay and back to the door as he watched members of Crew A maneuver into place. He likened it to a wolf pack as they roamed to protect their territory and family members. Ericsson stepped out of his office to allow Haakenson some time to prepare for his shift. He watched the reactions of Johnny and his own men as they attempted to create an area of safety for the guys. Haakenson and Ericsson agreed that in order to try and keep the peace, that Crew B would remain in the dorms, locker area and the far side of the apparatus bay. It was also being done to try and keep Lehmann at bay.

The door creaked open and all eyes were on the door. A six-foot, blonde male walked in. Steve Lehmann entered the station and grinned at the reception he received.

Johnny elbowed Roy and whispered. "He looks like his brother."

"Yeah he does," Roy whispered back as the hair stood on the back of his neck.

Steve Lehmann tried to make his way over to where Johnny and Roy were seated in the apparatus bay and he was stopped by Aurness and Tad. "Hey, what are you doing redman! I want to meet our guests."

"I don't think so," Aurness snarled. "I will not have you speak to a fellow crew member in that fashion."

Daley caught the exchange and signaled Allmaras to move Roy and Johnny into the day room. Allmaras suggested to Johnny and Roy that they follow him.

"It's for your own safety," he whispered. "You are members of this crew and a brother does not allow anything to happen to their brother."

Johnny and Roy quickly followed Sid Allmaras into the day room and closed the door as an effort to drown out some of Lehmann's yelling. Several children were hiding in a corner scared by the yelling. Johnny and Roy picked up a couple of the kids to help soothe them.

"Redskins are dogs, they are not human beings," Lehmann snarled as he tried to push Aurness out of the way.

"Just go to the lockers you jerk!" Wes growled as he came up behind Aurness to offer additional support.

"You are not my captain and you can't tell me what the effin' hell to do." Lehmann snarled back

"Shut the hell up!" Wes yelled, "There are women and children here and your behavior and language is unacceptable and inappropriate."

"All you are Schmidt, is effin' Injun lover and I see you have one from LA. I am surprised they allow Injuns to live in LA. The government should have exterminated them back in the 1800s. They're dogeaters, Schmidt, and they're not human. They don't have any rights. It is even more disturbing that whites have the gall to be married to the dogeaters."

"That man is more a gentleman and a brother than you will ever be. I don't see the hue of their skin, but their character. What does it matter to you who anyone is married too..," Aurness growled. "I would rather have Aron Red Wolf or Tad Longie protecting me any day on a run over you!"

Aurness was glad that many of his brothers on the crew were there to support him. He was thankful for that.

As the tension grew with Lehmann, more men from Crew A showed up behind Aurness and Tad to show support. The two captains caught wind of the exchange by the door and raced over to try and defuse the tension. The captains were joined by several members of Crew B who tried to get Lehmann away from Aurness and Tad.

"Get to the locker room, you son of a bitch," Haakenson growled, "If I hear one more word come out of your mouth, I will find a way to get you removed from the department. There are women and children here and your language is inappropriate as an adult and as a fireman."

"Captain, I have rights to express my opinion," Lehmann snarled back.

"Locker room... NOW Lehmann!" Haakenson snarled through his ragged breathing. "Move it, NOW! You have 10 minutes until roll call and you will NOT be leaving the dorm area. IS that understood?"

Lehmann glared at his captain. He looked over at the others as Ericsson and Halldorsson struggled to hold back Longie and Aurness, who were both breathing raggedly as rage coursed through their veins. Aurness took the greatest offense at Lehmann's words, this time, as he felt his wife's Crow heritage was being attacked. Red Wolf glared at Lehmann intently as he felt Lehmann's words violated his family.

"If you don't move, Lehmann," Haakenson stated coldly, "I will allow Ericsson to release his men."

Haakenson and Lehmann glared at each other for several long minutes before Lehmann finally relented and headed off to the locker room. "It ain't over by a long shot redman...," he snarled as he headed through the locker room door."

Halldorsson and Ericsson struggled to hold back Aurness and Longie from making one final lunge. The two men held them back until Longie and Aurness' ragged breathing subsided to normal.

"I was just about to get the trash can," Red Wolf growled angrily.

Haakenson turned to Ericsson and shook his head. He truly understood why Roland was protective of his crew. "I'm sorry... Roland... I really am." he stated as a hint of defeat echoed in his voice. He quietly herded the rest of his crew to the far side of the bay. "I will make a report to headquarters and your crew, that is present, can be witnesses. Lehmann needs to be stopped."

Ericsson turned his face his men and noticed they were still wound up from the encounter with Lehmann. He laid a hand on his crew members to show solidarity. They made it through this round with Lehmann but he was uncertain how many more rounds they could take with him.

"Take a few minutes before you guys go into the day room," Ericsson stated softly. "As a captain, this is one time, I hope they get a big run. It will get him out of here for a while."

The men nodded and they huddled near each other as a show of solidarity. Roy peaked out from day room and saw Ericsson with his men and he did not have a good feeling about what went down. They were quiet, almost too quiet. He pulled back into the room.

"Sid, Lehmann is in the locker rooms, but the guys are pretty rattled." Roy whispered. "I really do not know what to say, I really don't."

"I can understand how you feel Roy," Sid whispered. "I'm in the same boat. I respect these guys as my brothers and it hurts to see them attacked. They're good men that I would trust with my life."

"I would too...," Roy stated distantly.

Roy looked over at Johnny who was keeping the little kids entertained. He was worried about his friend as he knew they were protecting Johnny from the poison. He wondered in the back of his mind, if this was opening up old wounds that his friend would rather forget.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**[Author's note: Grain elevators prior to 1980 had very few safety regulations and fires were common. It should be noted that after 1980, state law required redesign of lighting and electrical systems in many grain elevators. It was required by the late 1980s, that anhydrous ammonia tanks be stored away from the grain elevators. Grain elevator fires still happen but not to the frequency that occurred before 1980. Fort Totten Indian Reservation changed their name in the late 1980s, to the Spirit Lake Nation. WDAY in Fargo was an NBC affiliate until 1982 when it switched to ABC.]**

The women breathed a sigh of relief as the apparatus bay grew quiet, but the tension remained in the room. Several of the women busied themselves as they put the last touches on the table and checked to make sure that there were enough plates and utensils. Several of the kids continued to giggle at Johnny's silly game of clapping and making funny faces. Tensions began to ease into an uneasy calm in the day room as the members of Crew A started to trickle in. Ericsson and Ackerman were greeted by their young daughters. The two young girls never failed to make their daddies smile and they were greeted by a hug from their daddies. The sense of camaraderie grew as more individuals drifted in, the tensions eased.

"Gentlemen, the television crew will be here in a little bit," Ericsson announced, "Let's enjoy each others company and let's give John and Roy a warm welcome."

Warm applause rippled through the room and it gave a sense of acceptance to the men. Delora and Mrs. Halldorsson gestured to Johnny and Roy to go first.

"Company first," Delora chirped. "John...Roy... go ahead."

Johnny and Roy smiled at the warm welcome they received and approached the table. The table was loaded with eight different hot dishes, several stews, barbequed pulled pork, Kaiser Rolls, Firehouse beans, 10 different salads, along with lefse, cookies, and bars. The mixture of tantalizing aromas made it difficult to decide on what to eat. Johnny and Roy looked over the table carefully, before making their choices to try the different treats and delicacies on the table.

After they filled their plates, Johnny and Roy made their way to the couch in the corner of the day room. They were soon joined by the members of Crew A as they filled their plates and drifted to different parts of the room. The clatter of dishes and lighthearted chatter eased the tension and it mingled with the playful chatter of children. The essence of friendship allowed for healing in the group as people began to relax and enjoy each others company. Various conversations buzzed between different groups around the day room as new friendships were cemented and acquaintances were renewed.

Johnny looked over at Roy's plate, "Hmmm...that looks interesting... what is it?" he asked as he noticed an item on Roy's plate that had hamburger, potato, and green beans.

"Not sure, but it tastes good," Roy mumbled between bites. "It was in the green dish."

"It does look good," Johnny said, "bet Mike or Marco could have some fun with it."

"Yep...," Roy replied as he nodded in agreement.

Ackerman smiled as he caught the exchange between Johnny and Roy, he leaned over from the stool he was sitting on, "I'll get the recipe for you guys. My wife will be pleased to hear that you liked her tater tot hotdish," Ackerman said with a wide grin. "It is good and she has tried many different variations with it."

"Do you guys take turn cooking here, also?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, we do," Ackerman replied. "Some of the guys are better than others... and a piece of advice... stay away from Weiss' hotdogs and Tad's pancakes."

"Really... bad or interesting?" Roy asked.

"Ummm... Weiss can't cook," Ackerman smirked. "He has started a few stove fires in the last couple of years. Tad is a very talented person but cooking is not one of them."

Aurness settled on a stool near the three men and slowly shook his head as he took in the conversation between Roy and Ackerman. "And you can't grill, Ackerman," Aurness teased.

"At least I don't make lutefisk," Ackerman retorted. "However, I do make a great sauerbraten."

"Sheesh... Germans and their sauerkraut!" Aurness snorted playfully.

"I'll take cabbage rolls any day over lutefisk. I still recall that day Hjelmstad made it," Daley stated as he sat on a chair nearby remembering the lutefisk fiasco between bites. "I still will not eat fish because of the smell. It reeked in here for days."

Wes and Bjornson approached the group near Roy and listened actively to the discussion about cooking.

"In my humble opinion, the best cooks on Crew A are Captain Ericsson, Turcotte, Red Wolf, and of course... ME!" Wes stated gleefully as a bold smile spread across his face.

"I will agree with that assessment, Wes," Ackerman stated thoughtfully. "Red Wolf makes a wonderful grilled chicken and his homemade barbeque sauce is excellent. The only downside is that he does not share his barbeque sauce recipe."

Bjornson shook his head in amusement, but agreed with Ackerman's words, "Johnny and Roy, as you can tell, we have a number of "Galloping Gourmets" around here. Do you have any at your station?"

Johnny and Roy looked at each other before responding as they both knew who was the best on Crew A at their station. "Hmmmmm...it is a bit of a tie," Johnny replied reflectively between bites. "I would have to say it would be Stoker's spaghetti and Marco's chili."

"That good?" Bjornson asked.

"YEP!" Roy replied. "It is a great day at the station when Stoker makes his spaghetti. Johnny even gave my wife the recipe and she even liked it."

"Delora, you've outdone yourself again," Tad stated complimentary between bites of stew. "Your stew is delicious and you're always welcomed to come and cook for us here at the station."

"Thank you, Tad," Delora stated warmly. "Captain Ericsson just has to say the word and the department has to approve." Suddenly twelve pairs of woefully pathetic eyes focused on the captain as laughter broke out in the room.

Johnny shifted over on the couch as Roy got up to allow another person to sit down on the couch to eat. He smiled as the raven-haired beauty approached and gestured that she would like to sit next to him. Johnny smiled warmly at the young woman dressed in dusty blue-colored jeans and a red-striped sweater. Turcotte looked over at Johnny and grinned in amusement. Johnny returned a triumphant grin to Turcotte as the raven-haired beauty sat down next to him.

"Hello, my name is John Gage, but my friends just call me Johnny," Johnny said warmly as he extended his hand to the young woman. In some ways, he was rather surprised that a woman would approach him willingly and wanted to be in his company.

"Hello John... err Johnny," she said warmly. "My name is Alessandra Dauphinais. My friends just call me Sandi."

"It is nice to meet you, Sandi," Johnny said warmly. He had a different feeling about her, but he could not put his finger on it, as she was different from other women he had met. He did his best to hide some of his emotions as a way to protect himself.

"It must be challenging to wear two hats," Sandi commented as she nibbled on her stew.

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked as he grew increasingly curious about this young woman.

She watched carefully as the questions grew in his brown eyes. "Sorry...I guess ...what I'm trying to say is that it must be a challenge to be both a firefighter and a paramedic?"

"It can be," Johnny responded thoughtfully, "but it can also be very rewarding, especially when we are able to save a cardiac patient, help an injured child, or bring a new life into the world."

Sandi smiled at Johnny as he answered her questions. She felt comfortable with him because he was different from the other guys that she knew and met.

Roy had moved to the other side of the room and watched the interaction between Johnny and the young woman with great fascination. They both seemed comfortable with each others company. Aside from his wife, Joanne, or Dixie at the hospital, he had rarely seen Johnny have a casual conversation with a young woman. Granted, he had seen his friend flirt and chat with a pretty girl, but in a friendly way, and not from the aspect of enjoying each other's company. Thinking to himself, he pondered the growing friendship between Johnny and the young woman, _"Well, Johnny, you seem to have met your match, even if it is fleeting." _

Roland walked up and sat down on a chair next to Roy. "Roy, I see John has met my niece, Alessandra," Ericsson said warmly. He leaned back in his chair as a wide grin spread across his face before continuing, "I have also learned that you had to take vitals on John and Turcotte. It is entertaining to know that there are a number of others in the room watching them, also."

Roy gave Captain Ericsson a look that confirmed his comment. Both men began grinning as unspoken words spoke volumes.

"Roland, she is a beautiful girl," said Roy. "Is she a student in town?"

"Yes, she is a biology and pre-med major at Concordia College in Moorhead," Ericsson stated proudly. "Delora and I have raised her as our own child, after her parents were killed in a car accident, when she was a baby. My wife could not accept the prospect of her brother's child being placed in the foster care system. Ironically, we were only married a few weeks when Alessandra came to live with us and we consider her our daughter also."

"Is she aware that you and Delora are her aunt and uncle?" Roy asked.

"Yes, she is..," Roland said thoughtfully, before continuing. "But that doesn't stop her from calling us Mom and Dad. She's a real firecracker and she's as strong-willed as Delora. I don't think the six Romeos in the room tonight, who are vying for her affections, realize that aspect of her personality. It is quite entertaining to watch."

"Oh really...," Roy said with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yep...," Roland said, "If she sees something that she wants, nothing stops her and I mean nothing. She is a strong, intelligent, and a very driven young woman who stands her own ground and she takes flack from no one, including her brother. Delora and her are a lot alike."

"She is a remarkable young woman," Roy said. "Has she considered where she wants to go to med school?"

"She is actually considering several different avenues including medical school. She hopes to visit UCLA in a few months to see their program in addition to Nebraska, Minnesota, and Baylor," Ericsson responded. "I would love for her to stay around here...but I also have to be willing to let her spread her wings."

Roy looked over at the Captain Ericsson briefly and seemed to understand where he was coming from. It was thought that had crossed his own mind from time to time as he watched his children grow up. He sometimes wondered how difficult it would be, the day he allowed his own children to spread their wings. Deep down, he knew it was important to enjoy their childhood now, as the day would come when they will want to seek their own way in the world and would he be ready to let them go.

"I guess it is something we all go through at some point as our children grow up," Roy said softly. "I wish her well."

"Ya...It is the toughest when the first one gets ready to spread their wings," Ericsson responded softly.

Meanwhile, near the door of the day room, Turcotte was musing playfully about his misfortune of not getting to speak with the raven-haired beauty.

"Red Wolf,... you know... Johnny really has a charm about him. He is here barely 24 hours and he lands a conversation with the captain's niece," Turcotte mused.

"He's a good guy," Red Wolf mused thoughtfully. "Besides, he is only here for a week. Let him have his conversations now. Besides, you don't stand a chance with Tad, Wes, Bjornson, and me vying for her."

Delora caught the tail end of their conversation and shook her head in amusement.

"You guys will not win her. No man can control her right now because she wants her freedom and independence." she said lovingly to the four guys standing near her. She cared about them as if they were her own brothers and cousins.

Delora paused briefly as she watched Johnny and Alessandra talk, "She has her heart set on a goal right now and the idea of being in a serious relationship right now is not in her plans. With that being said, it can happen, but I doubt it will. However, I think she would like the friendship you would each offer."

The men listened patiently as Delora spoke and carefully weighed her words. Nodding thoughtfully, they continued to watch the ongoing conversation between the Johnny and Alessandra.

Red Wolf considered carefully what she said and he realized in the world of the whites, Alessandra would need a friend in both worlds. Delora was right, what plans Alessandra had for herself and her future were unknown to them. It would prove to be a challenging path and she would need the support of her friends to travel on it.

"You guys, Delora does have a point," Red Wolf spoke softly as he seriously considered her words. "She is our little sister and we should respect and guide her. We can still be friends with her."

"Thanks Red Wolf," Delora replied thoughtfully as she watched Johnny and Alessandra talk. "She will know when she is ready and besides, she sees the crew as her big brothers that she can turn to if she needs help and that is not something easily earned as she does not like to ask for help."

Turcotte listened to the discussion between Delora and Red Wolf and considered carefully what was being said before he spoke. "So what you are saying Delora, is she doesn't want to be tied to anyone right now and she just wants to be friends."

"Yes, and before you guys get bent out of shape," she said warmly, "she adores everyone on the crew and considers you guys as her big brothers that she can turn to when she needs a friend."

"How is the Captain handling her wanting to be free?" Bjornson asked.

"He has his days about Alessandra wanting to spread her wings," Delora said wistfully. "We both do, Bjornson. We don't want to break her wings but, there are days it is tough to accept this. You will understand someday when you are a parent. Alessandra will have challenges in her life as both of her parents have Metís, Cheyenne, and white ancestry. She'll need friends to help her from time to time, even if it is just an ear."

The guys stood quietly and seriously considered what Delora said. Red Wolf nodded slowly as he realized that she was right. It would do more harm to trim Alessandra's wings than to let her fly. Alessandra looked over towards the door where her mother was holding court with Red Wolf and several others.

"Hey guys, let's go over and say hello," Turcotte said playfully. "Maybe our little sister needs some rescuing from Johnny." He slapped Red Wolf on the shoulder and gestured to his friends that they should go over and talk them.

"You're on," Bjornson said as a grin spread across his face.

At that moment, the group headed over to the couch to chat with Johnny and Alessandra. "Ahhh Johnny, are you behaving yourself?" Red Wolf asked playfully as a knowing grin spread across his face. "We're just keeping an eye on our little sister."

"I'm being the perfect gentleman," Johnny responded innocently as he caught on to the game they were playing. He quickly realized that they were watching out for a member of their family in much the same way he would be looking out for Roy's kids. He understood the family code of the firemen, that members of the family also included the families of his brothers.

Alessandra looked back at her mother standing near the door and gave her an imperceptible nod to thank her. Grinning in amusement, she looked at the four men standing in front of her. "I am not a little girl you guys," she retorted with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I am 22 years old and legally that would make me an adult. By the way, I did hear that you guys were yelled at today for being worse than my little sister, Jessie. Snowballs?!... Come on boys!... Really...and I heard Spook was in rare form this afternoon."

Johnny watched the reaction of the four guys as the color drained from Tad and Wes' faces as he tried to hide the grin that was threatening to break out on his face. In the back of his mind, he tried to figure out who told Sandi about the snowball incident in the bay. He looked over towards Roy, Ericsson, and Aurness grinning widely as the events began to unfold. Their behavior quickly confirmed Sandi's source of information.

"We don't have snow in Los Angeles, so that makes me innocent," Johnny grinned innocently.

Just as Tad was to offer his defense in the incident, the klaxons went off. The room grew silent as they listened to the call. Ericsson counted the different tones and realized it was a large call.

_"Engine 45, Squad 22, Pumper Engine 160, Glyndon Ambulance, Ladder 1, Station 2, Moorhead Station 1, Moorhead Station 2, Warming bus, Dilworth, Glyndon, Argusville, Harwood, Ada...Georgetown grain Elevator fire in Georgetown, cross road Clay County Road 127. Time out 1935.  
_

Captain Haakenson's voice could be heard in the bay responding to the call as the engine blocs roared to life on the various vehicles leaving. The day room was quiet for several minutes as the Engines rolled out of the bay.

"One of the worst type of fires to fight in this area," Bjornson stated distantly. "I wonder how many more units from other towns will have to be called in. That is a big grain elevator."

"Yeah... it is, I see they left one Engine, one squad, and the ambulance here for Fargo calls." Red Wolf said. "Still that's going to keep them busy for a while tonight, if not all night."

"I suspect the auxiliary firefighters will come in and man the Fargo calls," Daley stated.

"It's possible that we could end up going back on duty," Red Wolf commented.

"That's a distinct possibility," Ericsson interjected. "Let's enjoy the party for a while and we'll see what happens."

Johnny looked at the men gathered nearby questioningly. "What's entailed in a grain elevator fire?"

"Trying to keep the grain from exploding and sending burning beams, smoldering grain, and pieces of wood flying throughout the town. It's not an easy fire to fight because access to the origination point is difficult, if not impossible. The fire can creep in the walls and there is no way to get close enough to vent it. The older elevators are constructed of wood and not cement, this makes the fires harder to fight," Daley stated, from a chair, he was sitting on near Johnny.

Daley reflected quietly before continuing, "They are usually caused by grain dust being ignited by light bulbs or exposed electrical wires in the structure. Grain dust and electricity are not a good mix because they can create static electricity."

"The height of the structure makes it difficult to put water on the flames as we do not have enough Snorkel and Ladder Engines to effectively fight the fire," Bjornson added. "It is also a messy job to overhaul as the grain can remain smoldering for days and flare ups are not unusual. An additional danger is that a lot of the rural grain elevators also sell chemicals used for farming such as various phosphates and anhydrous ammonia."

"In that case, you are not only battling the burning grain but the risk of a chemical fire," Roy responded.

"Yeah, and anhydrous ammonia is a gas that explodes in pure oxygen and if it starts to leak, it can kill a person if inhaled." Daley stated. "Hopefully, they can safely move the tanks from near the elevator. Water is ineffective in fighting an ammonia leak. In the case of a leak, they will have to evacuate the area within a five to ten mile radius, especially in the area of the cloud and this is one time you want the wind in your favor. You're not even safe in a basement."

"What makes the situation even scarier is a lot of the small town fire departments are volunteer in nature and they do not always have the training nor the equipment to effectively deal with some types of fires, especially chemical related situations," Weiss stated as he ran his hand through his light brown hair.

"I agree with your assessment Weiss and Daley," Allmaras replied. "Growing up near New Rockford, many of the departments in that area did not have up-to-date equipment nor the know-how to fight a fire properly. If they had equipment, it was old and barely working. Yet, I can't fault them for trying. It was better than nothing. The reservations are in the worst shape as they have very little, if any equipment. With that being said there have been efforts recently, to have a training week for the rural departments once a year for those who can attend."

"Didn't the Fargo Fire Department recently send one of the older engines to the Fort Totten Indian reservation?" Matthews asked.

"Yeah, they did," Tad answered affirmatively. "Minnie went up there and I made sure she was in good working order and in excellent condition. Red Wolf and I went up with the Engine and worked with their crews on how to operate the gauges, charge the hoses, in addition to instructing them on how to care for the hoses and the Engine."

"I bet they were happy to get the engine," Roy commented as he observed the discussion. It was an interesting discussion and he was gathering information he wanted to share with Captain Stanley and Mike Stoker.

"Yeah, they were very happy to get the Engine," Red Wolf said proudly. "The engine is well cared for and they were even more grateful to get additional training because some governmental agencies are not interested in training firefighters on the reservation. They hope to eventually get a rescue squad and a water unit as they are located by Devils Lake. While we were up there, Tad and I helped them build a hose tower for cleaning hose."

Johnny's eyes met those of Red Wolf and he signaled to him that he understood why the people on the reservation would be appreciative for the engine. They were helping their fellow brothers.

"There are a few towns near the bigger cities that do get grants for training in hazmat, better equipment, and the use of rescue equipment such as the jaws of life," Turcotte added. "Those towns tend to be near the interstates or larger cities. The small towns, that are lucky enough to get additional training and equipment, are those who are able to respond to fires and accidents on the Interstate within a few minutes."

"It is not unusual for smaller towns to get older Engines and equipment from larger cities as big-city departments get outfitted with newer equipment," Ackerman stated thoughtfully. "There have been times over the years, when we have responded to calls in Harwood, Horace, or Kindred and you can see the label scars from other fire departments."

"An example of what Ackerman is saying Johnny and Roy, would be Fargo getting one of its two Snorkel and Ladder Engines from the Minneapolis Fire Department when they upgraded to a larger Snorkel and Ladder Engine," Tad stated thoughtfully. "I remember Nessie's sister coming to join the Fargo Fire Department and the work I had to do on her to get her up to snuff. Millie is now at station three."

"I know of two towns up near Grand Forks, that have white and chartreuse colored Engines that came from Cottage Grove and St. Paul, MN," Weiss added. "You can't miss those trucks at night. They are bright. One was a big Pumper-Ladder Engine and the other was a Engine similar to our Engine 45. But, like Allmaras said, it is better than nothing."

"So the sharing of older equipment allows the rural areas to acquire some equipment," Roy stated as he took in the information. "Essentially, it helps them to update what equipment they already have."

"Yes, it does and sometimes it replaces some really old pieces that these areas may have already been using," Tad stated, "The engine that went to Fort Totten replaced a 1945 Seagrave that they were using."

Roy shook his head in amazement as he recalled the engine that he restored with Johnny and the hunt for parts. It amazed him that there were areas of the country still using old engines from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. "Amazing, Johnny and I restored an old engine from the 1930s."

"Really, I want to hear more about this," Wes stated as a grin spread across his face. "It must have been an interesting experience working on that old Engine."

The discussion continued for several minutes when the bell at the back door was heard ringing. Captain Ericsson lifted his daughter Jessie down from his lap and slipped quietly from the room. As he entered the apparatus bay, he was secretly glad that Lehmann was out on the run. He took a deep breath and slowly released it as he headed towards the door. Deep down, he hoped that the interview would go well. Grinning as he approached the door, he saw the reporter at the door with his camera man.

"Come on in, and get out of the cold," Ericsson said warmly, "If you'll follow me, I'll take you into the day room."

Weiss stuck his head out the door and noted the captain was talking to two men. "Weiss, can you get the day room ready for the television crew," the captain called out.

"Sure thing, Captain, have everyone get behind Johnny and Roy?" Weiss asked.

"Yep, we'll be in a few minutes," Ericsson replied.

Weiss pulled his head back into the day room and signaled to the guys to get into place. The women rounded up the kids and settled nearby. The noise of shifting chairs and people moving around provided for a few moments of hilarity as several of the men debated as to where Johnny and Roy should be seated. Roy elbowed Johnny and gave him a knowing smile.

"You ready partner...?" Roy asked.

"Yeah...I guess, as ready as I'll ever be," Johnny replied distantly. "I just hope I come off sounding coherent."

"If all else fails, you can blame it on the cold," Roy said jokingly.

"Gee... thanks, partner," Johnny said nervously.

The captain slipped into the day room with the camera person and motioned to Ackerman to help with the hauling of the camera and lighting equipment. Ackerman helped with the equipment and assisted by setting up the portable light pots. The camera person busied himself attaching cords to the TEAC camera and recording pack. He quickly tested audio and picture feeds to get ready for the interview.

The camera man leaned over to Ackerman who was plugging the last light pot into the extension cord. "Hey, is that one guy a redskin?"

Ackerman looked at the camera man coldly and carefully chose his words. "He is a fellow firefighter and I see no color."

Ackerman stood up from where he was kneeling and glared at the man. He took a deep breath and went over to the others. Red Wolf caught the exchange and placed a hand on Ackerman's shoulder.

"Let me guess, the camera man doesn't like Redskins?" Red Wolf whispered drolly. "Why am I not surprised."

"Yeah, I just don't get it. I trust you with my life, my friend, I really do," Ackerman said with great affection. "We need to protect Johnny, Tad, and you tonight during the interview."

"I will let the others know," Red Wolf whispered as looked over at the camera man. "We can't let Johnny and Roy catch wind of it."

"No, we can't," Ackerman replied in a hushed tone. "They have already experienced enough from the poisoned arrows. I have noted they have both been a bit uncomfortable at times."

"I can't blame either one," Red Wolf commented. "Roy treats Johnny like a brother and I know it bothers him to see Johnny hurting from the poisoned arrows. I know the unspoken words."

Red Wolf and Ackerman broke up their conversation and proceeded to alert the others about the camera man's comment. The hushed whispers and the unspoken words spoke volumes. Each of the men from Crew A watched the camera man carefully. Tad and Red Wolf positioned themselves with the men near Johnny and Roy to demonstrate solidarity with their Los Angeles brothers. Weiss made note of the outlet in case an extension cord needed to be stepped on accidentally.

The camera man soon realized that he was on thin ice with his comment as eyes bore into his soul with arrows that targeted his conscience. He came to the realization that he violated the trust that each firemen had for their family member and that was the sense of solidarity they had for one another on their sacred ground.

Ericsson returned to the bay to speak the reporter and provide some information about his crew, Johnny, and Roy.

"Good evening, I'm Captain Roland Ericsson," he said politely to the young reporter from WDAY, the local NBC affiliate. "John Gage and Roy DeSoto are in the day room waiting along with the rest of my crew. My crew has had a great time working with the two men from Los Angeles. It will be an interesting week."

"Hello Captain Ericsson, My name is James Henderson. Can you tell me a bit about both men?" Henderson asked as he started to gather information for his report.

"John Gage and Roy DeSoto are firefighter-paramedics for the County of Los Angeles and they are highly respected by their peers. They're firefighters and rescuers first with additional training to offer medical treatment to victims in the field," Ericsson stated.

He paused briefly before continuing, "They're among the first paramedics in Los Angeles County in 1971. Roy was an instructor of some of the classes and John was tapped by Roy to be his partner when he returned to field work. Great guys," the captain said warmly. "They are part of the exchange between Los Angeles County and departments in North Dakota. I know there are six others from Los Angeles County also who have been sent to Bismarck, Minot, and Grand Forks."

"Have they participated in any runs since they have arrived?" Henderson asked.

"Yes, they have and they gained a whole new perspective in fighting in a different climate," Ericsson said warmly.

"They sound like remarkable men," Henderson commented.

"That they are," Ericsson stated warmly as a smile spread across his face.

Ericsson gestured that they head into the day room and both men entered just as the camera man finished his white test on the camera and adjusted the lighting pots near Johnny and Roy accordingly. Ericsson looked over his crew dressed in their crisp navy blue shirts with FFD emblazoned on the sleeve and he caught a hint of tension among his men. Ericsson followed their gaze to the camera man and understood the reason for their behavior. The unspoken words from his men signaled there was a reason to be on alert. Ericsson stared intently to the signal they were giving, from that clue, he had a hunch of what went down. Turning his head, he glared back at the camera man and slowly shook his head.

Henderson watched the unspoken words flying around in the room and the intense gaze on the camera man. He quickly came to the realization that his camera man had just upset the hornet's nest and the crew was now in defense mode. Sighing heavily, while looking at his note pad, he quickly studied his notes and wrote down a few questions to ask John and Roy. Deep down, he hoped he could salvage the interview.

Leaning over to his camera man, Henderson growled in hushed tones, "If you make any more remarks about Indians, I will see that you're fired. After your stunt in the car, you better not even think about crossing me. YOU are to include shots of ALL the crew members with John and Roy. I hope you get my drift."

"Yes, sir," grumbled the camera man as he realized he was on a thin ice.

"I would cut the attitude right now... if I were you," Henderson grumbled intensely. "They're onto you, including Captain Ericsson. You were warned in the car about how close knit this group is and a slight against any one of them will not go unnoticed."

Tad leaned in between Johnny and Roy to offer words of support and gave each guy a pat on the shoulder, "Knock their socks off, you guys."

"Thanks Tad," Johnny said warmly.

The reporter walked up to Johnny and Roy and introduced himself to both men.

"John, Roy,...My name is James Henderson and it is nice to meet both of you. I have heard many kind words about both of you from a number of sources. I will be asking you a few questions about the differences between fighting fires here and in Los Angeles County, paramedics, and your impressions of the area," he stated warmly. "We'll get started in a few minutes after we get a few establishing shots."

The two firefighters-paramedics nodded and acknowledged Henderson. As the reporter finished speaking with Johnny and Roy, Captain Ericsson sat on a chair next to Roy and gave them both a thumb's up.

Henderson proceeded to instruct the camera man to pan and take several long and close-up pan shots of the room. He watched closely to make certain the camera man did not avoid anyone. The panning camera caught people giggling, smiling and talking amongst themselves. The camera man, under the watchful eye of the reporter, made several long establishing shots on different groups of men including Red Wolf and Tad. The camera focused on Johnny, Roy, and Captain Ericsson for several moments before continuing to pan the room.

As the camera panned the room, the voice of a small child could be heard shouting, "Mommy, we're on TV! We're famous!"

Ericsson looked up and caught his wife quieting Jessie. Jessie's announcement caused smiles to erupt and individuals struggling to keep their laughter in check. He had to give his daughter credit for defusing the tension. Jessie's comment even made Henderson smile.

Henderson started his report with opening comments before taping the interviews.

"Tonight, I am here visiting with members of Captain Roland Ericsson's crew as they welcome two members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. As part of an exchange program between North Dakota Fire and Rescue Departments and Los Angeles County Fire Department has allowed the exchange of eight firefighters and paramedics between the two entities. Fargo Fire Department, Station 1 is hosting the visit of two firefighter-paramedics from Los Angeles County. As you can see the members of Crew A are embracing the company of the two Los Angeles-based firefighters."

Henderson signaled to the camera man to pause taping as he went to the where the captain was seated. Once seated, he signaled the camera man to start taping again.

"Captain Ericsson, how did this exchange program come about?" Henderson asked.

"The program came about as a way to reach out to other organizations as a learning opportunity. Life is filled with opportunities to learn and grow and for the department, this was one way for us to expand our knowledge base of how to fight fires, do rescues and perhaps improve the lives of those people we serve. Los Angeles County, along with New York City, are highly recognized for their expertise in different methods of firefighting and rescue work."

"When did you learn when the men from Los Angeles were coming to Fargo?" Henderson asked.

"Within the last month. We only learned about Fargo being added to the exchange about 10 days ago and we were told at that time we would be getting two firefighter-paramedics from the same station in LA County. Roy DeSoto and John Gage were sent to Fargo and Jannes Hjelmstad and Tim Johnson were sent to Station 51 in LA County."

Henderson signaled the camera man to pause has he shifted positions to make it easier to interview Johnny and Roy. He asked both men how to correctly spell and pronounce their names before proceeding with the interview.

The reporter shifted in his seat and faced the camera. He signaled the camera man to start filming. "Tonight I have the opportunity to meet the two firefighter-paramedics from Los Angeles County, Roy DeSoto and John Gage."

Pausing he shifted slightly to face Johnny, "What is the difference between a firefighter and a firefighter-paramedic?"

"Roy and I are both trained as firefighters first and we specialized in rescue work. The paramedical program was unheard of outside of Los Angeles County and a few other places and we had the opportunity to receive additional training in order to provide more advanced medical care to patients in the field. We work with doctors at Rampart General Hospital in Carson, which is near our station to assist in diagnosis and administering medical treatment. It has proven to be successful in stabilizing victims until they can get further medical attention. It is a select group who become paramedics. Roy and I were in the earliest classes for the paramedical program. I was tapped by Roy to be his partner when Los Angeles County Fire Department opened a new station in Carson, Station 51."

"How many years have you been a paramedic?" Henderson asked.

"About seven or eight years," Johnny replied warmly. "It is a challenging, but rewarding experience to help others."

"John, what do you see the as the differences in styles of firefighting between Fargo and Los Angeles County?" Henderson asked.

"I would have to say the cold," Johnny said thoughtfully. "On the run I participated on today, it was amazing the determination these men had in fighting in conditions we had no understanding of. I was rather impressed with their dedication to fight a fire in temperature that are only joked about and ridiculed. Where we have to worry about overexertion in heat, the guys behind us have to worry about frostbite and hypothermia."

Henderson paused momentarily and shifted slightly to bring Roy into the discussion. "Roy, John mentioned that they also do rescue work. What sort of rescues do you guys do?"

"John and I do a variety of different rescues on our runs. Each one is different and no two runs are ever the same. We have done climbing, rappelling, water rescue, and we have used jaws of life to extract people from cars and trucks in vehicle accidents. The landscape of Los Angeles County is pretty diverse and our calls can range from rescues on water to the urban areas to the canyons and wilderness areas in the Angeles National Forest. We have even come across the occasional bear or tiger on our runs," Roy stated.

"A tiger?" Henderson asked incredulously.

"Yep, the tiger had apparently escaped from a wildlife sanctuary and we responded to a call at a business. The tiger was holed up in the backroom eating some meat it found in a meat display case. John came out of the back area and informed me that we needed to leave the building before the 500 lb tiger was done with his snack."

"What happened then?" Henderson questioned as he tried to wrap his head around the story.

"We grabbed the patient, moved him outside, and called animal control." Roy stated as a grin spread across his face.

"Roy, I would like to ask you the same question I asked John. What do you see the as the differences in styles of firefighting between Fargo and Los Angeles County?" Henderson asked.

"I would have to say the wind and cold as you contend with straight line winds, we contend with the Santa Anas, in addition the variability of the winds in the canyons. Another challenge is the struggle of help rural areas keep up with the urban areas in regards to fire protection and techniques. It is even a challenge in parts of Los Angeles County. An additional challenge I see for both areas is keeping up with the changes and continue to grow with a changing population and needs," Roy replied. "Both John and I have enjoyed working with the guys. They're a class act."

Johnny looked over at Roy and nodded in agreement. It was challenge for both areas regardless of population and that was the need for comprehensive fire and emergency services for all areas.

Henderson gestured to the camera man to pause the taping. "I would like to get a couple of guys from the crew now to express a few words about working with John and Roy."

The captain looked around at his men and choose several who worked with John and Roy directly on the run. "Red Wolf, Aurness, and Bjornson... you worked with John and Roy this afternoon. Come forward, please," Ericsson called out to the three guys. "I know the rest of you would love to say something also and I think we can give a big salute to the guys if Henderson will let us."

Henderson smiled warmly as he gave the captain a wink and he would let them do it because he sensed the camaraderie among the men. He quickly jotted down the names of the three men: Aron Red Wolf, Jens Aurness, and Craig Bjornson. Henderson instructed the three men that he would ask the question and they would proceed from there.

"I learned that you three men got to work directly with the LA County firefighters this afternoon and I am wondering what was your impression?" Henderson asked.

"I thought the men demonstrated an incredible level of professionalism working on gauges during the fire and they both jumped in to help on the run," Red Wolf stated.

"I worked with John on the hose this afternoon. He handled himself quite well on the ice. It is really the first time he has worked on ice. A true professional and they have both fit in well with the crew," Aurness said warmly as a wide smile spread across his face.

"A class act all around. Great guys to work with," Bjornson commented. "I would trust them with my life."

At that point, Johnny and Roy looked at each and decided to nose in between the three guys.

"And we concur," they both chorused back as wide grins spread across their faces.

At that that point the rest of the guys made their way forward, shook hands and gave a back slap on the back to one another. They were brothers and they knew it.

Henderson signaled the camera man to back up a few steps and continue filming. After a few more minutes he signaled the camera man to stop filming as the guys finished talking. He could finish a few things with a voice over in the final editing phase and he was pleased that he was able to salvage the interview. Henderson instructed the camera man to finish packing the gear and start loading the car to return to the station.

"Captain Ericsson, I am not sure if this will be on the 10 pm news tonight or tomorrow evening's news broadcasts. It will depend on the coverage of the Georgetown fire. I can also have a copy made for John and Roy to take back to Los Angeles," Henderson said. "I'll let you know."

As the Captain was talking to Henderson, Matthews walked up and handed Ericsson a note. "Hey! Can I have it quiet for a moment, please!" Ericsson called out. The room quickly became quiet at the captain's bellow.

"I have some good news and I have some bad news. "Bad news first... we are on back up, stand by duty until some of the other engines return back to Fargo," Ericsson stated. "Those men are connected to the squad and the engine will remain. The rest can go home or stay if you want. Good news is, when they return, we can go home. I will learn later if the report will be on the 10 pm news or the two broadcasts tomorrow night."

Groans echoed through the room at the captain's announcement. The guys started to clean up as the women hauled some of the leftover food back to their cars. Several guys hauled the large cushioned chairs back into the day room.

"John, Roy, you're welcomed to stay or go back to my house if you want," Ericsson said. "You'll both be going with Sid and Jake in the morning. Or, I can drive you back a little later."

Roy looked at Johnny, "I wouldn't mind staying for awhile." Roy said. "Another game of cards could fun."

"I'm game," Johnny replied as a wide smile spread across his face.

The captain chuckled as he watched Tad and Bjornson pull out the cards and M&M's for a card game since they were all on standby.

"Roy, Johnny, Captain... wanna join us?" Tad asked hopefully.

"Sure...," The three guys chorused as they joined their firefighter brothers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**[Author's note: the dream sequence is just that, a dream. I have pulled elements from different Native American animal totems. It should be noted that most EMT's in North Dakota are volunteer and in parts of the state, they may be the only medical care that is available in an emergency situation. A lot of rural hospitals were starting to close at the time of the story and it only accelerated in the 1980s and 90s.]**

The evening of card-playing at Station 1 wound down as Engines and equipment started to return to the Fargo stations from the Georgetown elevator fire. The men of Crew A were removed from stand-by a little after 11 pm and dismissed from duty. The elevator was a total loss, but at least the town of Georgetown was saved.

Slowly the members of Crew A drifted back to their homes for a few hours of sleep before their shifts began in the morning. Captain Ericsson, Johnny, and Roy tiptoed into the house in an effort not to wake anyone from their slumbers. Their efforts were busted when Captain Ericsson stubbed his toe on the door. The noise startled Delora, who was napping on the couch.

"Roland, is that you?" Delora asked sleepily as she got up from the couch and rubbed the sleep from her face.

"Yeah.. Just stubbed my toe, didn't mean to wake you." Ericsson grimaced as pain shot through is toe.

Johnny and Roy helped him to a chair and slipped into paramedic mode. Johnny checked the captain's foot and found that nothing was broken.

"Nothing broken, but it will be sore for a couple of days," Johnny said warmly as a smile spread across his face. "Just put ice on it."

"Next time, just turn the light on," Delora snorted playfully as she put together a small icepack and gave it to Roland.

"Thanks guys," Captain said laughingly. "By the way, Johnny, that was a great hand you had in the last game tonight. It was fun to play cards with ya all. Night, gentlemen and I'll see ya in the morning."

Johnny and Roy smiled and nodded their good nights as they headed off to bed.

Despite the showdown with Lehmann, it turned out to be a good evening. Roy yawned as he started to get ready for bed.

"You.. okay, Johnny?" Roy asked as he started to shed his layers and reached for his LACoFD t-shirt from his suitcase.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders at Roy's question, but Roy knew better by the look on Johnny's face and his unusually tense demeanor. He was not his usual, sassy self that often drove him and others crazy. In an effort to get Johnny to engage in small talk, he changed tactics to get his friend to open up. At the moment, he would even settle for a rant against Chet or bad drivers.

"Great job on the interview tonight, I was impressed," Roy said complimentary.

"Thanks, Roy," Johnny said distantly as he started getting ready for bed. "I appreciate the compliment."

Roy knew how Johnny operated on some level and his use of evasion tactics when it centered around a conversation or an issue that was bothering him. Johnny seemed distant and lost to a point where he was shutting down to others. He hated to see Johnny hurting, but he was at a loss on how to help him. He was kicking himself for not being able to help his friend.

Roy glared hard at him. "What's up, Johnny?" Deep down he really wanted his friend to find some peace.

"Roy, I know you're being a friend, but I... I just can't talk about it," Johnny said defensively as he pulled a t-shirt on over his head.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he ran his hands through his thick dark hair. Deep down, he knew he needed to escape, but he did not know how to do it. It was an unease he knew only as a child. Realizing that Roy was only trying to help, he was fearful to let Roy get close enough to help as he did not want to be judged and burned.

Searching his mind, Johnny tried to find a way to get Roy off his back and in a last ditch effort, he tried to change the subject to deflect his question.

"So what did you think of the Captain's niece?" Johnny asked.

Roy soon realized that he reached an impasse with Johnny and to save the peace of the sleeping house, he went along with Johnny's game. Roy watched him carefully from the corner of his eye, as Johnny battled with his inner self. Sensing that Johnny was about to crash emotionally, he steeled himself for a possible rough night, but he knew he had to be there for him.

"She's a lovely young woman," Roy replied warmly. "You two seemed to hit it off."

"Yeah... she's a neat gal," Johnny replied warmly as he recalled his conversations with Alessandra. "I really enjoyed chatting with her. It was nice to chat with a woman who actually enjoyed being in my company."

Roy nodded in agreement as he got ready for bed. "She does seem to be a very nice girl."

Johnny grinned again as he continued to think about his conversation with Alessandra as he finished getting ready for bed. Roy knew it was a ruse and he prepared himself mentally.

Roy pulled the covers back on the bed and crawled in. "Nite Johnny."

"Nite Roy," Johnny said distantly, as he laid in bed, with his arm across his face.

The concept of peaceful sleep did not come easily for Johnny. His mind raced at breakneck speed as ancient voices screamed out for attention. The voices needled the psyche and probed the spirit for entrance to the front of his mind. Faces, words, and actions danced in his collective memory. Good versus the bad were in a battle for the control of his soul. The faces of his family, Roy, and those he trusted intermingled with those faces related to cruelty from his school days, people who disliked Indians, Chet's interpretation of the peace pipe, and the hatred he experienced on the way to Fargo. As the battle in his mind waned, it slowly quieted into a fitful slumber as fell into a dream.

_His dream showed a frightened little boy in a sea of arrows. The small boy looked up sadly as words flew and hands landed near his head from strangers. The red, brown, and black arrows flew freely around him. Johnny walked in the midst of flying arrows and misty fog towards the sounds of the sobbing child. Drumbeats echoed in the wind as words and images tried to block his path from giving the child help and comfort._

_Turning around, Johnny looked up at the trees and heard an owl call out in the howling wind. Whistling back at the owl's call, he received no response and proceeded forward in the misty fog. He kept wondering what the owl was trying to tell him. It was a message, but it was one he did not understand. The owl provided a window to the past with hidden pains carefully concealed behind a curtain as he struggled to reach the child, the arrows continued to fly. The owl blinked and exposed the pain of the past. _

_A large gray wolf suddenly appeared near the child, quiet and non-threatening. He laid on the blanket-covered ground with his tail curled around the small boy protecting him. The child looked up at Johnny from his resting place next to the wolf and blinked away his tears. Johnny reached down and picked up the child in his arms, gently hugging and soothing him. The child's sobs slowed as he felt safe in Johnny's arms. Johnny's own soul tried to take away the child's pain so he could laugh and smile again. _

_Words of hatred were still flying from the outside world like arrows around them but continued to miss them both. As he comforted the child, he struggled with his own emotions regarding hatred that was directed towards him, along with the teasing, and putdowns. Criticism of his intelligence were based on his skin and the premise that he was nothing more than a guinea pig for anthropologists. To some people, he was not worthy in their eyes of being something greater._

_At Johnny's feet, the wolf laid an arrow with two eagle feathers attached to a long piece of willow. The arrow head was different from any he had seen before. It was shaped like a typical arrow, however, it had a warmth that was unfamiliar to him. The arrow was also a different color than a typical arrow, it was the color of tears. The wolf sat on his haunches and looked sternly at Johnny and then back at the small boy._

_Ancestor voices could be heard amid the growing drumbeats, "Don't fear the evil that fills their hearts and their bad arrows. The eagle will guide you, be strong and trust your guides. Accept the good of those who understand for they will help build a path. Trust the guidance of the wolf."_

_The voice reminded Johnny of his grandfather and he spun around to see if he could find out where the voice was coming from. The wolf pawed at him, signaling him to take the arrow for guidance. Kneeling down, Johnny looked intently at the wolf, brown eyes met amber eyes, and they seemed to understand one another. His heart pounded to the rhythm of the drum and they spoke to him. Carefully touching the blanket, he picked up the arrow and held it to the sky. He then took the small boy's hand and gently squeezed it. The small boy looked up at him with soft brown eyes and a crooked smile._

_"He is you and you are him. Together you will find the strength for healing the parts of your soul that have been wounded. You need to heal the past, to grow in the now. Accept the help of those you trust, choose wisely. You have a very loyal ally who is not of our people, trust him and your spirit animals."_

_Just as the voice appeared, it disappeared quickly before he could ask questions. _

"Grandfather? Is that you?" Johnny called out. "Grandfather?"

Roy was startled from his slumbers when he heard Johnny thrashing wildly in bed and calling out for his grandfather. Leaping from his bed, he flew over to Johnny's bed in the darkened room.

"Johnny!" Roy whispered loudly as he tried to shake him awake from his dream state. He also hoped that Johnny's mumbling and thrashing would not wake anyone. In his struggles to get bring Johnny to come around, he began shaking uncontrollably and Roy was not sure what to do.

"Johnny! It's me, Roy!" He whispered loudly as he grabbed Johnny's face in his hands.

He placed his face literally into Johnny's face and tried to bring him back to reality. Thinking to himself, he wondered if this is why Johnny needed to go off and clear his mind. Panic started to creep into his soul as he tried to figure out how to get Johnny to come out of the mindset he was in.

"It's okay Johnny, you're safe."

Roy's hand remained on Johnny's shoulder as his ragged breathing began to slow to a more calm rhythm. Johnny continued to shake and softly weep. It was one of few times Roy had ever seen Johnny openly cry. It was hard for him to watch, but deep down he knew it was something his friend had to do.

"Let the pain out Johnny, let it out," Roy said softly. "I'm here by your side, my friend... you need to do it." Roy pulled the blanket back up around Johnny and watched as he laid eerily silent. His face had an expression he had never seen before. Johnny's face was a mixture of loss and torment.

"Just lay there and rest," Roy whispered as his hand still rested Johnny's shoulder. "I'll sit beside you. You know, when I first met you, I really liked your enthusiasm and drive. Over time, I have grown to think of you as my little brother. I've seen you struggle, shine, and hurt."

Roy paused and reached over to check on Johnny. He pulled up the covers, that had slipped down, back up over him and placed his arm over his eyes. He watched his friend rest for a bit before continuing his thoughts.

Johnny could hear Roy whispering but did not know how to respond. He was thankful he was there, but his soul and spirit were too fragile to reach out.

"I've never pressured you about your past, as it was your place to share. You have made me challenge my own assumptions about Native Americans. Amazingly, Joanne and the kids even admire native culture," Roy whispered softly as he stifled a yawn. "Chris recently got in trouble for defending one of his classmates who is Native American. He didn't like others teasing his friend. I was awfully darn proud of him."

Roy crawled back to his own bed and kept a watchful eye on Johnny. "Find the strength you need to heal, my friend," he whispered softly. "I am here as your friend. I just wish I knew how to help you."

For the remainder of the night, sleep was fleeting as Johnny struggled with a variety of emotions. He was thankful that Roy was there as a friend but frightened to let anyone close to his inner being. Feeling restless, he slipped from the bedroom and tip-toed quietly to the kitchen. Realizing he was not in his own apartment or Roy's house, he resisted the urge to make a pot of coffee. Taking a glass from the dishes rack, he poured himself a glass of milk and sat down at the table. Sitting quietly at the table, his mind battled with his emotions as he examined the message that was in his dream. Deep down he knew it was his grandfather guiding him to heal, but parts of the dream were still a puzzle.

The attacks on his heritage ripped open long buried memories of the past. His parents could never protect him completely from the hatred he experienced in school and away from home. As a young child, he had a hard time understanding why some people hated him. He didn't do anything wrong or caused any trouble, but was looked down because of the color of his skin and his background. He swilled the milk around in the glass as his mind wandered through the memories, good and bad.

"Good morning, John," Delora said softly as not to startle him. "John?"

Johnny jumped when he heard his name called and quickly relaxed when he realized who it was. "Mornin'," Johnny said as he recovered his senses. "I didn't mean to wake anyone."

"You didn't," Delora said warmly. "I often get up early as it gives me time to think and relax before the day gets going. I've always been a light sleeper because of night shifts when Roland is at the station."

"I see...hmmm, I woke up and felt restless," Johnny said. "Sometimes, when I'm at the station, I'll get up a bit before the morning klaxons. It's a nice time to think with a cup of coffee."

"I noted you dreamed last night. I heard you call out for grandfather," she said thoughtfully. Watching Johnny's reaction, she saw a mixture of remorse and discomfort spread across his face. She placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him. "John, relax... It is nothing to be ashamed of... I know when a person has a vision. My grandfather was a medicine man and a teacher. I wanted to learn our ways, and he was willing to teach me."

She watched Johnny for several moments before going to the stove to turn it on to heat the tea kettle. Reaching up in the cupboard, she reached for a small pouch that had herbs. Taking the herbs from the pouch, she carefully crushed and placed them into two metal tea balls. She continued to watch Johnny from the corner of her eye as she prepared two cups of herbal tea.

Johnny was surprised by Delora's admission and looked at her quietly. "I'm not following...," he stammered.

She placed the cups on the table and the steaming concoction had a hint of mint. "This will help you settle a bit." she stated softly. "My grandfather was a keeper of traditions and medicines. He tried to teach me some of those traditions so they would not die out. Because of that, I tend to be more observant of things around me. He was a very wise man."

Johnny sipped his tea and reflected on Delora's words as he tried to put things in perspective. "I guess, I'm trying to understand the dream I had during the night."

"I'm willing to listen if you want to share who visited you," Delora said cautiously.

"Grandfather wolf gave me an arrow," Johnny recounted softly. "I was helping a child and I thought I heard my grandfather's voice."

"You did...," Delora said softly. "Were you close to him?"

"Yeah... he was my hero," Johnny said softly as a took a sip of tea. "I always felt safe when I visited him as a child."

"His spirit is with you, trust it," Delora commented softly as she gently encouraged Johnny to continue.

"There was an arrow on a branch with two eagle feathers and it was presented to me by the wolf. The arrow appeared to be filled with tears. He sat and stared at me, then pawed at me to take it. There was an owl that hooted and I whistled back and I got no response, yet he showed me the past." Johnny whispered distantly and he paused briefly before continuing.

"The voice said not to fear the poison and referred to the child as he is you and you are him. Accept the help of those I trust, choose wisely. An ally also is one who is not of our world," he recounted.

Delora looked at him thoughtfully and carefully as she weighed what he recounted of his dream. Sitting quietly, she carefully examined in her mind the information that Johnny gave her as it was a piece of a greater puzzle. Her concentration was disturbed by people stirring upstairs. The growing din from upstairs was beginning to distract her from helping Johnny.

"Johnny, I promise we will talk later," as she laid her hand on his shoulder. "Trust your spirit animals to guide you. You do have allies who support you and your grandfather is right, choose wisely."

Johnny nodded quietly and looked at her distantly, "Can we talk later?" He asked.

"Yes, I will tell Roland to take the kids out along with Roy," Delora replied as the noise upstairs continued to grow louder.

"I better get breakfast made and you need to get ready also," Delora stated warmly as she pulled pans out of the cupboard and food from the fridge. "Also, you and Roy better hurry if you want Indian tacos."

A wide grin spread across Johnny's face when he heard about the tacos, "Be back in a few shakes of a lamb's tail."

Delora was amused by Johnny's response to the tacos. Deep down she hoped she would be able to help him. She sensed that he had a spirit that was rich and giving, but was wounded.

Johnny slipped into the room and hoped that Roy was still sleeping or in the shower. He was surprised to see him sitting on the bed fully clothed and ready for the day.

"Good morning, partner," he said happily while masking the turmoil he was feeling.

"Johnny, you okay?" Roy asked as a sense of concern became etched in his voice. "You really scared me last night."

"Yeah... on some level, I feel better," Johnny said softly and somewhat saddened that he upset Roy. "Sorry... I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm here if you want to talk," Roy offered. "I won't hurt you."

"Thanks," Johnny replied as he grabbed a towel and his shaving kit to head to the bathroom.

Roy watched in frustration as Johnny made an escape for the shower. Wiping his face in frustration, he let out a long sigh as he collected his thoughts as he felt powerless in what he should do. Thinking to himself, it would be better to remain quiet, yet seek a time to encourage him to talk. The events from early morning were still echoing in his own mind as he tried to figure out why Johnny was calling out for his grandfather. Roy finished gathering the things he would need for the rest of the day.

Johnny soon came out of the bathroom whistling as he toweled off his thick black hair. Johnny's whistling and good humor puzzled Roy as tried to figure what was going on with him.

"Hey partner, hurry up," Johnny said gleefully as he quickly put on several layers of clothes. "Indian tacos for breakfast!"

"Indian tacos?" Roy questioned, as he tried to get a grip on Johnny's strange behavior.

He could tell his friend was hiding and he wondered how long it would be until the next emotional crash. Roy watched Johnny get dressed and grew increasingly concerned by his seemingly good mood.

"Indian tacos are tacos that use fry bread for their base instead of the crunchy taco shells and tortillas like Marco uses. You can put anything in a taco," Johnny replied."They're good."

Both men headed to the kitchen and the aroma of bacon, sausage, lettuce, scrambled eggs, and fry bread teased the taste buds. Johnny smiled as he approached the kitchen.

"Good Morning, smells wonderful," as he greeted everyone. Johnny's seemingly good mood also caught Delora's attention. She quickly recognized it as a defense mechanism and quietly registered it in the back of her mind. Looking over at Roy, she noticed the same level of puzzlement on his face.

Johnny struck up small talk with Jessie, Shane, Karen, and Kelly at the breakfast table. He was pleasantly surprised when Alessandra came into the kitchen "Good Morning," he said warmly as a smile spread across his face.

"Good morning, Johnny," Alessandra replied warmly as she laid a black book bag in the hall near the dining room.

"What are you doing here?" Johnny questioned.

"Staying here this week to help my parents," she replied with a wink. "Keeping an eye on the kids while they entertain. Besides, it's a nice break from being in the dorms."

"Dorms?" Johnny asked as he chewed a piece of his breakfast taco.

"I'm a biology and pre-med student at Concordia," she stated. "Dorm life gets old REALLY fast."

Roy observed the conversation from the corner of his eye while finishing his breakfast. Deep down, he was beginning to wonder what color Johnny was going to show next in his myriad of moods since his dream. Johnny was changing his moods almost as fast as a chameleon changes colors. Delora was also baffled by his behavior.

Ericsson looked at his watch, "Guys, we need to head out," gesturing to Johnny and Roy to come. The guys grabbed their winter gear and headed for the garage. "Sandi, you need to move your car!"

"Comin' dad," as she grabbed her keys, coat, and book bag. "Later mom!"

Delora watched them all leave from the kitchen window. Something was wrong and she could not put her finger on it. Deep down she had an idea of what Johnny was doing, but could she reach him in order to help him she wondered to herself.

The men soon arrived at the station and they were greeted by Sid and Red Wolf as they wandered into the station. "Mornin' Captain, John, Roy," Sid said warmly. "Ready for the road trip?"

"Sure am," Johnny chirped.

Red Wolf watched Roy for a few moments as his face registered concern. He picked up on the change in Johnny's demeanor and it left several questions in his mind. He also noted the wounded, haunted look in his eyes and it alluded to the fact that something happened during the night. Red Wolf sensed that Johnny was covering up something he did not want to talk about and made a mental note to ask Roy later.

Halldorsson and Ackerman wandered over to say hello to Roy before roll call and they were soon joined by Red Wolf and Tad.

"Hey, had a great time playing cards last night," Halldorsson quipped.

"Yeah, it was fun," Ackerman added. "I must be losing my touch. I got royally skunked last night. Roy, I hate to say this, but Johnny was in rare form."

"Does he usually win when you play at your station?" Tad asked.

"Not typically," Roy reflected thoughtfully. "It is usually Mike or Marco. The guys at the station are never going to believe this."

"Ummm... Roy, we could sign an affidavit for you," Ackerman quipped teasingly.

"Well there is still some opportunity this week for me to get my M&M's back from him," Tad surmised playfully.

Johnny commented as a broad smile spread across his face, "Some days you got it and some days you don't."

"Just wait Johnny, I'll get my M&M's back," Tad teased.

"Really Tad," Johnny mocked as he shook his head and gave him a playful punch in the shoulder.

They broke up their conversation when the Captain Ericsson called for them to assemble in the front for a briefing.

"Gentlemen, today we have inspections to do and hydrants to dig out of the snow piles," Ericsson stated. "John and Roy will be going with the ambulance crew on a road trip and perhaps a run or two."

"If you guys end up at Fankhanel's on your trip, bring back some treats for the rest of us," Wes pleaded playfully, while giving Sid his best innocent look.

"How the hell did you know we were going to Hillsboro?" Sid asked in complete astonishment. He shook his head in utter amazement at the young firefighter standing before him. "Some days Spook, I really wonder about you."

"Spook knows all, my good man. He knows all," Wes stated triumphantly. "And he tells me many, many things."

Murmurs were heard from the crew in support of Wes' statement.

"Jake and Sid, have a good trip and stay safe," Ericsson said. "See ya guys, later."

Johnny elbowed Roy, "Just be glad that Wes and Chester B., don't know each other. It wouldn't be pretty."

Roy gave Johnny a sideways glace and nodded affirmatively, "Then again, it could be rather entertaining to see which one really does know all," Roy whispered playfully.

The briefing broke up as the men were dismissed to start their assigned tasks. Red Wolf grabbed Roy's shoulder and Roy turned and faced him. "Everything alright?" Red Wolf asked.

"Why do ask?" Roy questioned cautiously.

"His eyes hold the truth," said Red Wolf. "I will keep you both in my thoughts and concerns in the back of my mind. Feel free to talk, if you want. I'm a good listener."

"Thanks," Roy said distantly as he did not know how to respond to Red Wolf's offer. "I'll keep it in mind."

Deep down he knew the tall man speaking to him was right, Johnny's eyes did hold the truth. He pushed his thoughts and concerns deep in the back of his mind. He knew Johnny was still a mess and his ruse was to cover himself up from the rest of the world and protect his fragile spirit. Roy sensed that something in Johnny's dream last night, shook him to his very core and he was struggling to deal with it.

Sid started the engine on the ambulance to let it warm up. "John.. Roy.. we do a check on the rig before we head out on a run or get supplies. We make sure we have air and oxygen tanks ready, medical supplies stocked, and equipment calibrated with the correct radio base."

Sid paused briefly before continuing, "We also have additional compartments for blankets, oxygen tanks and gear we can take out of the squad if we need it. All the rigs are equipped with cleats and other safety items also as needed."

Johnny and Roy opened the compartments on the side and helped check the tanks and supplies in the outside compartments. "You also carry sand?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, for traction at the scene and sometimes it provides additional weight if we're driving on ice." Jake replied as he pulled out the backup first aid box to check the supplies there.

Jake paused briefly before continuing to check the first aid box, "I should advise you, we don't always come back to the station after a run as we will sometimes go on patrol, and be made available in the event of a run. In the summer, it's crucial to be out due to heat-related injuries and severe weather. Also, you don't want the rig in a brick building if a tornado hits."

"Do you guys have to work sporting events and stuff like that?" Johnny asked as he placed the extra tank in the side compartment.

"Yes, we do but not every event as everyone in the paramedic and EMT group take turns working them," Sid replied. "For example, both Jake and I will be working the regional high school basketball tournaments at the end of February and another pair will work at a NDSU Bison basketball game."

"It is fun to get to watch the games when there are not a lot of emergency situations," Jake replied. "The best incidents are those patients we don't have to take to the hospital."

Sid nodded in agreement to Jake's comment. Johnny and Roy carefully observed the interactions of the two men and filed away the information they shared.

"I am not a fan of working NDSU football games," Jake commented. "Too many drunk students!"

Jake reflected for a few moments before continuing, "Field injuries are one thing and I expect those, but seeing 18 and 19-year-old kids completely plastered for the fun of it due to peer pressure and sheer stupidity is tough. I would rather haul an injured football player or a cardiac patient to the hospital from a game than a kid poisoned by alcohol. The alcohol poisoning is hard to see and the university turns a blind eye to it."

"Sounds like some of the intoxicated jerks we've come across on different runs and the sad part is that some of the drunks rarely get a scratch," Johnny reflected. "Most of our runs involving drunks are motor vehicle accidents, domestic abuse situations, and kids wantonly getting drunk."

"Drunk driving accidents... they really bother me, especially when innocent, little children are involved," Jake replied distantly as he clenched his fist against the ambulance squad. Johnny placed his hand on Jake's shoulder as a show of solidarity. He understood where Jake was coming from as he had also seen more than his fair share of broken bodies of young children mowed down by drunk drivers.

"I hear ya...," Johnny commented distantly as his hand rested on Jake's shoulder. "I wish there was a way to keep the jerks off the road."

The guys climbed into the back of the ambulance and Sid showed them additional compartments for drug, cardiac equipment, shock suits, OB kit, suture, and needle aspiration kits. Roy and Johnny noted the arrangement of the equipment and materials needed to care for their patients.

Roy noted three radios. "I like that you are in direct communication with the base doctors," Roy commented. "But, why three?"

"Yep, the three that we carry is due to the nature of the area we serve. There is one each for dispatch, hospital, and rural outfits that are not on the 911 system," Jake replied.

Jake paused briefly before continuing, "We also have EMT's with different specialty levels. There are some who can only do only a few things and higher grade EMT's and paramedics who can and administer drugs and execute different procedures sometimes without a doc's consent.

"Why is that?" Johnny asked. "We're still restricted on some procedures."

"In the case of North Dakota there are a number of reasons. The fact that North Dakota is very rural state poses a huge problem and the weather can sometimes play havoc in reaching a patient," Sid stated as he started to shift to the front of the vehicle.

"In some instances, an EMT may be the only person available to render any assistance in the more rural areas of the state. Radio reception is dodgy in parts of the state and you might be as much as 50 to 75 miles from the nearest hospital and helicopters can only fly so fast," Sid stated. "The Life Flight helicopters will typically carry a flight doctor or a registered nurse on board."

"The guy who helped develop the Life Flight program here in Fargo flew med-vacs in 'Nam," Jake interjected. "Good guy and he can read the weather better than most weather guys. They presently have four helicopters in their fleet and one at the Air National Guard, here in town, if they need it."

Jake paused a few moments before continuing, "You guys probably have a much higher rate of survival for your patients than we do in parts of North Dakota. The time and distance between the first responder and the hospital is a killer here. We just can't get to them fast enough."

Roy nodded thoughtfully as he listened to the exchange. "So distance makes things far more challenging in regards to patient care," Roy commented as he watched both men nod at his comments.

Roy let out a soft sigh before continuing, "It'll be interesting to hear the insights from Reynolds and Brice when we return to Los Angeles. They're two fellow paramedics who were sent to Bismarck and Minot."

"The issues concerning distance is even worse further west," Jake replied as he climbed into the driver's seat. "In addition to gravel roads and narrow county highways, you have the rolling hills of the Missouri River country."

"If you guys want to get settled in, we need to head to St. Luke's and pick up supplies," Sid smirked.

Roy and Johnny settled on the seats behind Sid and Jake and offered Jake a thumbs up that they were ready to go. Jake signaled Tad that they were ready to leave.

Tad opened one of the bay doors and the ambulance entered the white misty haze from the cold air meeting the warmth of the apparatus bay. The ambulance drove a few blocks from the station over to the hospital emergency entrance and maneuvered into the parking bay. The foursome made their way into the hospital through the emergency entrance.

"Hey Trudy, are the supplies ready?" Jake asked as the foursome walked in.

"Yeah, almost!" Trudy smirked back. "Gee, you guys gettin' lazy or what... I see that you have to draft people to help you with it?"

"Now, now Trudy," Sid playfully admonished the red-headed nurse. "Is that any way to treat our guests?"

"Hey Jake! Sid!" A male voice could he heard calling out to them as it approached them and Trudy. "What brings you guys here?"

"Hey Andy! What's up?" Sid asked as he waited for Trudy to finish checking the supplies that needed to be loaded into the bay of the ambulance for the trip north.

"Andy, nice to see you again," Jake said warmly at the sight of his old friend. "Let me introduce you to John Gage and Roy DeSoto, they're visiting the Fargo Fire Department from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. They're both firefighter-paramedics. Gentlemen, this is Andy Jagloe, one of the pilots here."

"Nice to meet you Andy," Roy said warmly as they both extended their hands to shake his.

"Do you guys fly to areas where patients are to critical to transport by ambulance?" Johnny asked as he continued to process all the information he heard from Jake and Sid.

"Yep... and sometimes patients from here to hospitals down in the Twin Cities or Rochester for more advanced medical care. We average about five or six flights a day and sometimes more," Andy commented. "I'll see about taking one of you guys on a run."

"If that is possible, I would like to do that," Roy said affirmatively as a smile spread across his face.

"I'll see what I can do," Andy responded. "I'll let Sid or Captain Ericsson know later today. I see you guys are about ready to go and Trudy has that look."

"She has nothing on Dixie," Johnny teased. "She was an army medic nurse in Korea. The docs at Rampart even walk the straight and narrow with her."

"A toughie?" Andy asked.

"Depends," Roy added thoughtfully. "She adores her paramedics but don't cross her. She is a toughie with a tender heart."

Andy mused at Roy's comment as he remembered a few army nurses he crossed paths with in Vietnam.

"Guys, let's head out," Sid yelled as he waved them over to the ambulance.

Andy watched as the guys headed off towards the loaded ambulance. It was a signal to the Fargo crew that they were ready to head out. Sid radioed ahead to the Hillsboro hospital, where the northern rigs were based in Traill County, and alerted them that they were on their way with supplies.

"Well guys, you are about to see some pancake country and then Hillsboro," Jake commented as the ambulance pulled out of the parking bay and onto Broadway. "It's about a 40 minute drive."

The ambulance made its way through the city to the interstate and turned north. The vehicle's radio prattled on as the guys rode quietly through the city of Fargo making their way to I-29.

_"This is KFGO, the mighty 790, and now for the News, Gary Carley reporting_.

_"Supporters of Peltier have criticized the US States Attorney for denying the defense the right to use several witnesses ..." _Sid clicked the radio off in mid-sentence.

"Sorry about that." Sid stated solemnly. "Not really in the mood to listen to it. I grew up near Fort Totten reservation and some of Peltier's relatives are still live up there and at Turtle Mountain. Sadly, some of his relatives are being punished solely based on their last name."

"I hear ya, Sid," Jake commented.

The vehicle remained quiet for several miles before anyone spoke as they took in the landscape.

"There are no trees," Roy mused as tried to come up with a description. "And lots of white snow with bumps."

"Depending on the amount of moisture in the snow, the wind can move it around just like a sand dune," Jake commented. "I have seen some very interesting drifts over the years."

"It's so flat...," Johnny commented as he watched the snow snake across the highway as it aimed for the other side. The wheels on the vehicles ahead of them broke up the snow arrows into white puffs and fog.

"How big is Hillsboro?" Roy asked as he tried visualize the town they were going to as he watched the snow blow across the open country. The ambulance continued north and passed several small towns tucked off to the side of the interstate.

"Hillsboro has about 1500 people and is the county seat of Traill county," Sid stated from the driver's side of the ambulance. "It does live up to its motto for the most part: "Hospitality is a cup of coffee away."

"That it does," Jake said warmly. "Wonder if we'll have time to go to Fankhanel's?"

"Don't know Jake," Sid replied. "It will depend on if the Mayville ambulance makes it Hillsboro before we do."

"I'll bite... What's Fankhanel's?" Roy asked as he tried to wrap his mind around this mysterious name.

"Ahhhh... Fankhanel's is a sugar lover's delight set in an old-fashioned drug store," Jake mused thoughtfully.

The men chuckled at Jake's last comment regarding the description of Fankhanel's.

"So it is a good place NOT to take the kids," Johnny said teasingly as he looked over at Roy.

"Yep..," Jake mused, "and I learned that the hard way."

"Ahhhh, Johnny... keep in mind I do have to pay the dental bills," Roy quipped.

"Now, now, partner... their uncle has to spoil them or they might feel neglected," Johnny said gleefully. "Wonder if we should take some back for the guys at 51?"

"That's an idea," Roy said, as he contemplated the thought.

The radio crackled alive as they got closer to Hillsboro. Sid grabbed the green mic from its cradle and responded to the call from the Hillsboro base.

"Ambulance 60, 10-4," Sid responded.

_"Mayville has a breakdown with their ambulance and they will be here in about 90 minutes." _

"Copy, we'll wait after we deliver the supplies. 10-4," Sid replied.

_"Hillsboro Base, 10-4" _

"Well Jake, I guess you have your answer about Fankhanel's," Sid chuckled as a smile broke out across his face. "I would still like to know how the hell Spook knew we were going to Hillsboro."

"My guess is Tad," Jake mused. "Those two are quite a pair, but I'm not completely sure which one is actually Spook."

"I thought it was Wes after I watched him pitch the snowballs," Johnny interjected a bit mystified.

"That is possible but never, never rule out Tad," Jake mused as a broad smile spread across his face, "He's a sly one. However, that being said, I would trust him in an emergency situation with my life. Both are good guys."

Sid nodded in agreement to Jake's assessment of Tad and Wes as he slowly angled the ambulance to the turn-off lane for Hillsboro and the rig passed a long line of farm implements. The farm implements were sitting out in front of a dealership in a mock battle of green John Deere versus the mixed line of red International Harvesters and Massey-Fergusons. The scene was even more humorous with a line of snowmen in the middle in front of a lime-green Steiger tractor.

"Nice to see someone has a sense humor in the winter," Johnny mused at the impeccable lines.

"You sometimes need it," Jake smirked. "The lime-green Steigers are actually made in Fargo."

"We have had a few runs to the plant there," Jake stated, "Actually, safely ran compared to some places."

"Referring to the beet plants," Sid stated sarcastically.

"Yep," Jake responded. "And God help a person in the springtime... you can smell it for miles after the frost goes off the waste ponds."

The ambulance soon backed into the parking bay at the Hillsboro hospital. Sid went through the emergency room doors and grabbed a gurney to load the supplies on from the ambulance. Roy and John helped hand boxes to Jake to load on the gurney and Sid checked it off the list.

"Inga, we brought you a present," Jake smirked as he tried to get the stoic nurse to crack a smile.

Inga glared back at the red-headed paramedic and was less than enthusiastic about Jake's attempted, lighthearted joke.

"Inga, where would you like us to place the supplies for the rigs?" Sid asked as he rolled the gurney in followed by Johnny and Roy carrying the last of the supplies. "Everything that was requested on the list is here."

"In the room to your right," Inga replied coldly. Sid was surprised by Inga's reaction and he followed her gaze towards Johnny. Sid gestured to Johnny and Jake to take the gurney to the ambulance supply room and unload the gurney. Inga's icy glare was not missed by Roy and deep down, he hoped Johnny had not seen it.

"Inga, knock it off," Sid whispered sternly. "He is a very nice person and I am glad to call him a friend. He is a firefighter-paramedic who is visiting the Fargo Fire Department from Los Angeles."

"You brought an Indian in here." she whispered fiercely.

"So what Inga, he is a human being deserving of respect just like anyone else," Sid grumbled, "There are some of us who judge a person for their character and not their color." He handed her the invoice for a signature to acknowledge delivery.

Roy caught the exchange and glared back as anger began to well up inside of him. "I don't know you ma'am, but I really don't understand the hatred that this area has for Indians. The man you deride is a very dear friend to me and my family and I would trust him with my life based on his character alone."

Taking the invoice from Sid's hand, she glared at both men and stormed off. Two younger nurses nearby watched the exchange and sadly shook their heads. They felt a sense of empathy for the men who came in Sid and the heated exchange that just transpired. The exchange between Sid, Roy, and Inga broke up their own discussion about the cute, slender, dark-haired guy that came with them.

Sid turned and headed towards the supply room, biting his tongue in anger. Looking towards the ceiling, Roy closed his eyes, took a deep breath and held it for several moments. He slowly exhaled as he tried to get his own emotions under control. He wanted to be strong for Johnny and if it meant taking a few hits for his friend, he would. The animosity towards Native Americans did bother him as they were people who also had feelings.

Sid knocked on the door of the supply room and stuck his head in, "Let's head to Dumas cafe for a bite before the Mayville ambulance gets here. It will be an hour or so." Sid stated as he shoved his emotions down. He was still steaming from his exchange with Inga.

Jake picked up on Sid's demeanor but chose not to say anything. He had a pretty good idea what had just transpired at the desk. Jake signaled to Johnny that they were ready to head out. As they exited the supply room, the two young nurses giggled nervously at Johnny and they hoped he would smile at them. Johnny looked over at them and flashed them a smile and they smiled back.

The four guys climbed into the ambulance and headed to the cafe. Johnny sensed that something was amiss and noted that Roy and Sid were both unusually tense. Sid started the rig and pulled out from the hospital parking bay and headed towards the cafe. Pulling up to the cafe, he pulled the second set of keys from his pocket in order to leave the rig running in the cold, as they went in to eat.

"Hey Vivian!" Jake called out. "Four coffees, love!"

"Right with ya," She called back, as the silver-haired woman grabbed four menus, cups and the coffee pot. She made her way to the table and smiled at the four men. "Who are your friends, Sid?"

"Hey Viv, They're visiting from Los Angeles, John Gage and Roy DeSoto," Sid said pleasantly. "Can we get some cheeseburgers and fries?"

Vivian looked over and smiled warmly at both men before responding, "Nice to meet you both. Cheeseburgers comin' up!"

"John, Roy...a piece of advice," Vivian giggled with smiling eyes pointing in the direction of Sid and Jake. "These are two guys, you need to watch out for."

"Now, now Vivian," Jake teased. "We're sweet and lovable."

Vivian laughed out loud at the red-headed paramedic's comment and headed to the kitchen with their order.

The clang of dishes and the bang of pans could be heard from the back as conversations and music mingled in the old diner. The smell of sizzling grease and cooking permeated the atmosphere and assaulted the nose with a variety of aromas. Pictures of Hillsboro's past mixed with flyers of community events and school activities as they adorned the walls. The four men continued to talk for a bit before Vivian returned with their plates heaped with food.

"Enjoy gentlemen!" Vivian said warmly, "I have also added a piece of pie for the visitors. Would you guys like apple, lemon meringue, or cherry?"

"Apple," Johnny responded with a wide grin. "Thanks!"

"Apple, for me also," Roy responded warmly. "Thanks!"

"And you know what Sid and I like," Jake responded with a smile.

"With ice cream?" she asked warmly.

The four men nodded in unison at the question. "John, Roy... you're in for a treat... Vivian's pies are legendary."

"With that being said guys, we better eat up if we want to make Fankhanel's before the Mayville ambulance arrives at the hospital," Sid stated as he munched on his cheeseburger.

Sid grinned as Vivian returned with four large pieces of pie with ice cream for the guys. They quickly ate and engaged in small talk. "Vivian, can we get a our check, love?" Sid called out. "We need to roll out."

"Right with ya!" She called back as grabbed their check from the till and headed to their table. "John and Roy, I hope you enjoy your visit and Sid, I hear you have to bring back candy for the station again."

"Let me guess, Spook called ahead," Jake guessed.

"You know how he operates," Vivian replied warmly.

"Is this correct?" Sid asked a bit mystified as he looked at the bill as it appeared to be short. "Jake, why don't you guys head over and I will be with you shortly."

Jake gestured to Johnny and Roy to follow him, "Guys, we can't leave without getting candy."

Vivian looked at the receipt and smiled. "Yep, the pie is on the house."

The three guys slipped into Fankhanel's and the bell at the top of the door alerted the store owner to their arrival. An older woman walked up to the front counter from the back and greeted Jake with a warm smile.

"Joyce!" Jake grinned when he saw a familiar face. "I have kidnapped friends from a far-away city to bring to your fair establishment."

The woman shook her head laughing at Jake's comment. "You never learn do you, Jake. I was alerted to your possible presence by a person who called and identified himself only as Spook."

Johnny started chuckling at the idea of Spook being one step ahead of Jake and Sid. "He truly is all knowing, isn't he."

Johnny looked around and took in the images and smells of the old drug store. The warm brown wood along the wall and on the counters. The counters had wear marks on the top, worn down from years of people purchasing treats and medicine. He could only imagine the stories that the walls could tell. The stories would be as varied as the people who bought candy and old fashioned sodas. He carefully counted the jars of penny candy and counted 40 different jars that held lemon drops, Necco wafers, smarties, M&M's, root beer barrels, chocolate coins, lollipops, gumdrops, jawbreakers, mints, and peppermint sticks in a variety of flavors.

Roy and Johnny stepped forward and placed their orders with Joyce to get candy to take back to Fargo to nibble on and also to take back to Los Angeles for the guys at Station 51. Roy gave Johnny with a sideways glance as he laid in a supply for his kids. He shook his head in amusement as Johnny made sure he had enough of each flavor of peppermint sticks for Roy's and Captain Ericsson's kids, along with root beer barrels for himself.

"Ah... Johnny... you're taking the kids to the dentist next time," Roy replied with a wide grin spreading across his face.

"At least they can say their uncle spoils them." Johnny playfully laughed as he carefully picked up the sugary treats.

Sid walked up behind them and smiled at the three guys procuring their sugary treasures. "Sid, Spook has alerted Joyce to our possible arrival and an order was made for us to pick up," Jake smirked.

"Man, nothing gets past him, does it," Sid responded incredulously as he shook his head laughing.

Joyce slipped into the back and brought out the purchase that Spook had made for them to pick up. "Here ya go and it's already paid for."

Johnny's eyes widened at the two cases of root beer barrels and other assorted penny candies to be taken back to Fargo.

"That was going to be my next question. Wonder who paid for it?" Sid queried as he looked at the two small boxes laden with sugary treats. "I can only imagine the mischief that Spook is concocting once he is fully loaded on sugar."

Jake shook his head laughing, "God help us all!"

"Glad I live in L.A.," Johnny retorted.

"Just because you're visitors don't think you're exempt." Sid stated warmly. "You're a brother and he will see that you experience his prowess at least once."

"John, he will probably get you first for taking his M&M's," Jake said warmly.

Johnny winked at him and laughed. "I'll be ready."

Sid looked down at his handie talkie as it started chirping from the base station at the Hillsboro hospital. "Looks like they're playin' our song," Sid stated as the foursome started to make their way out to the ambulance with their hands and arms full of candy.

They quickly organized the candy in the front part of the ambulance and headed back to the hospital to pick up their patient. The Fargo ambulance pulled in just ahead of the Mayville one. Jake and Johnny jumped out from the rig and opened the doors, while Roy and Sid got the information and the patient records from the Mayville crew.

"Roy, you and Jake can ride with the patient and Johnny can ride shotgun up in the front with me," Sid stated while the patient was loaded into the ambulance headed to Fargo.

Deep down, Jake knew why Sid had Johnny riding up front. He understood why he did it, as they tried to avoid any ugly incidents, yet he felt bad for Johnny. Jake shook the thoughts from his head as he made sure their elderly female patient was comfortable. As the rig made its way back to Fargo, they checked her vitals several times and they remained stable. The patient drifted in and out of consciousness as they made their way back.

A few miles outside of Fargo, the radio from the Fargo base started to crackle with calls.

_"Ambulance 60, what is your ETA?"_

Sid grabbed the mic, "8 minutes. We are nearing the 12th Avenue north exit. 10-4"

_"Have DeSoto report to Andy Jagloe when you arrive. He has been cleared by Captain Roland Ericsson and the doctors to fly as an observer._

"10-4, Ambulance 60 out," Sid replied.

"Roy, we'll part company with you at the hospital. Jake and I will kidnap your friend for the rest of the day," Sid said warmly. "You'll be in good hands with Andy."

"Hey Partner," chirped Johnny, "Take lots of notes."

"And the same with you, Johnny," Roy smirked back. "Do you want to keep the candy with you?"

"Sure thing," Johnny replied, "I'll take it back to Ericsson's later and keep it hidden from the kids. I did buy them each a peppermint stick."

Roy hid his concerns about leaving Johnny due to recent events, but he also knew he had a job to do and that was to learn about the operations in North Dakota. Deep down, he could trust the guys to look out for Johnny, especially Sid and Red Wolf.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**[Author's note: A certain humorous incident in this chapter actually happened to a friend of mine.]**

The ambulance soon arrived at St. Luke's with their patient from Hillsboro. As Jake backed into the parking bay, Roy and Sid prepared their patient to be unloaded. Once the rig was parked, Roy and Sid unloaded the patient and rolled the gurney into the hospital. Johnny and Jake swung out of the cab of the ambulance and they followed close behind Roy and Sid. Once the patient was delivered to the orderlies in the emergency room, Johnny and Roy parted company in the hospital and went in two different directions. Johnny remained with Jake and Sid, while Roy followed Andy to the pilot room to receive a briefing on the flight.

Deep down Roy hoped Johnny would be okay and that their runs would go smoothly. The exchange with Inga at the Hillsboro hospital was still bothering him as he tried to push it back, deep into the recesses of his mind. He mused quietly to himself of the mischievous purchase of two cases of root beer barrels along with other assorted candies that they had to bring back to the station. Spook was definitely a fun force to be reckoned with and respected. Deep down, he was glad that he left most of his candy with Johnny.

"Hey Roy, how was the trip to Hillsboro?" Andy asked as he presented a navy blue flight suit with a medical cross on the sleeve, along with a helmet for Roy to wear on the flight.

"Not bad," Roy replied thoughtfully as he took the gear from Andy's hands. "Fankhanel's was an adventure. I have not seen an old-fashioned drug store in years."

"Dare, I ask how much candy you guys brought back to Fargo from Hillsboro?" Andy mused as a broad toothy smile spread across his freckled face.

"Enough candy to get sick from eating too much!" Roy snorted playfully as he pulled the sleeves of the flight suit on over his sweatshirt.

"Let me guess.., Spook beat you guys, by placing an order for pickup, when you went into the store," Andy said knowingly as he shook his head.

"How did you know?" Roy asked in amazement as watched the tall, brown haired pilot shaking his head in amusement. Andy watched Roy's reaction from the red chair he was sitting in near the blonde wood and metal table.

"Spook is well-known in many circles, Roy, and he's well liked," Andy said warmly. "He may be all tricks and games at times, but he has a good soul."

Andy paused as he stretched his arms and rested his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair before continuing, "Yeah, you may get a snowball in the back or your bed short-sheeted from time to time, but he's never denigrated or harmed a person. He would rather tease or confound a person than be cruel to them. Some sort of mischief is always present when Spook is around."

"He seems pretty harmless," Roy mused as he pondered the mysterious nature of Spook. "Though, I am not completely sure which one is actually…Spook. It could be either Tad or Wes."

"I'm not really certain which one is Spook either, but those two guys seem to work in tandem, don't they," Andy mused as he pulled out the two files from a flight dossier for the flights they would be going on. "Whichever, one of the guys is actually Spook, that is the larger question, but they both have a great, big generous heart. In all the years, that I've known both of them, I've never seen any mean-spirited teasing from either one."

Roy nodded in agreement with Andy's comment about Spook as he pulled a chair up to the table.

"Sorry to change subjects, but I want to give you a lowdown on the flight," Andy commented as he shifted gears in his mind. "We typically have a pilot and co-pilot on the flight, in addition to a nurse and a paramedic or specialist. On this flight, we'll be joined by a flight nurse, Liz Jackson, and another paramedic. Liz has a lot of experience as a flight nurse. She was a nurse in a Vietnam at an American Mobile Army Hospital and sometimes flew with medics in the helicopters to transport patients from the MASH units to hospitals in Saigon or hospital ships. She should be here shortly."

His discussion with Andy was soon interrupted when he was pleasantly surprised to see a slender, young woman with brunette hair in a long French braid down the middle of her back enter the room.

"Hey Andy," the young woman said warmly, "and you must be Roy Desoto. I'm Liz Jackson."

"Nice to meet you Liz," Roy responded pleasantly as he leaned forward to shake her hand.

"Welcome aboard Life Flight and welcome to Fargo," Liz responded warmly. "I heard a little about you from Captain Ericsson. Josh, the other paramedic flying with us, should be here shortly. I saw him in the hall a few minutes ago."

"All good…, I hope," Roy mused as a smile spread across his face.

"Yep," Liz replied as she pulled her chair up to the table to finish prep work for the flight.

"What is the nature of the flight?" Andy asked as he checked a weather map.

"The first flight is up to Bemidji to bring a patient back to St. Luke's for advanced medical care and have him closer to family members," Liz stated. "As of 20 minutes ago, the patient was stable. He is a white male, 35 years old, and is suffering from significant head trauma and spinal injuries due to a snowmobile accident that occurred last night."

She paused briefly before continuing as she looked at another piece of information on her chart. "His head is immobilized and the injury has been stabilized. The long-term prognosis of the injury has not been established. In addition to being on a respirator, he has several IV drips, and is comatose."

"In a case like this, where you are transporting a patient from one hospital to another, are there different protocols in care that are observed?" Roy asked.

"Yes, we do have different issues regarding transport across state lines of patient records and medications, especially some controlled substances. We have to ensure the safety and transport of all drugs, in addition, to ensuring the confidentiality of all records," Liz stated as she placed the documents into the flight folder.

She paused momentarily before continuing, "We'll be taking off at about 1400 hours and it is about a two hour flight to Bemidji. What is interesting about these flights is that no two flights are ever the same. Some flights may require an additional specialist or nurse on board as, is the case typically, with those flights involving burn patients, neonatal, and children."

"During this time do you continue monitoring the patient's vitals and provide treatment if needed?" Roy asked.

"Yes, along with keeping them comfortable," Liz replied. "Have you flown before on a med-vac helicopter?"

"No, I haven't... but we've used helicopters before, but not ones solely dedicated for medical purposes," Roy answered as he tried to explain the relationship between the hospitals and the department. "The department has helicopters, but they are typically used for fighting wildfires, rescue work, and sometimes the transport of patients from the outer edges of the county and wilderness areas of the Angeles forest."

Roy paused before continuing, "We've also used helicopters from the Coast Guard for rescue missions to Catalina Island and boats in trouble at sea between Catalina and Long Beach. I know Dr. Kelly Brackett, a doctor, John Gage and I work with out of Rampart, has flown as a flight doctor on a doctors in flight program which uses small planes and helicopters."

Liz looked over at Roy curiously as she tried to put her thoughts into a question. Roy watched her facial expressions go through a range of emotions.

"You seem puzzled?" Roy questioned as he watched the reactions on Liz's face while sitting at the table in the pilot's room. "Is there anything I can explain better for you?"

"No... not really... I am just a bit surprised that you really don't have a Life Flight or Med-vac readily available for your needs in the field."

"I know some of the hospitals do have helicopter pads but I am uncertain if they have fleets dedicated to this type of transport," Roy replied.

"Surprised that there is not more integration between the different services," Liz commented as she continued to study Roy. "It is possible that they're connected more with the ambulance service or hospitals and not the fire department."

"That is a possibility and this is a learning opportunity," Roy offered as a response to her comment. "It does bear further investigation."

"For this part of the country, it is a vital program due to distance," Liz commented. "You are correct, learning opportunities are always good to grow and expand.

"Well, I'm going to head up and get the copter going, lay out the flight plan, and do additional flight checks. Then we'll be off to Bemidji," Andy stated as he gathered the needed paperwork from the table.

As he left the room, he ran into a burly, blond-haired paramedic entering the room.

"Hey Josh, about time you got here," Andy teased the sandy haired paramedic who was joining them on the flight. "Josh, let me introduce you to Roy DeSoto, he is a firefighter-paramedic visiting and observing from the Los Angeles County Fire Department."

Roy acknowledged Andy and offered his greeting to Josh. Roy continued to check his flight gear to make sure he was ready to go. The threesome waited for about 15 minutes in the pilot's room, before Andy called do to alert them that they were ready to go. Liz, Josh, and Roy headed up to the helipad and boarded the black, white, and gold helicopter with the St. Luke's logo and Life Flight emblazoned on the doors.

Roy boarded the helicopter and Liz signaled to him where to sit, while she and Josh checked equipment for the flight. Roy watched as they began to prepare the equipment needed to transport and monitor the patient once the patient was retrieved. He observed the setup of the helicopter and how things were arranged to allow access to cardiac and respiratory equipment. Different compartments near the equipment housed drugs and dressings needed to care for patients in critical condition. Once Liz and Josh were in their seats, Liz gave Andy the all-clear signal to go ahead.

Andy radioed Fargo's air traffic control tower to alert them that Life Flight from St. Luke's Hospital was about to enter the Fargo airspace and fly to Bemidji. The air traffic controller acknowledged Andy's call and granted them clearance, once the flight plan was filed and validated. The helicopter lifted off the helipad in the bright sunshine and drifted over Fargo, then across the Red River and into Minnesota lakes country heading northeast towards Bemidji.

The sun was bright but lowering in the southwestern sky as the helicopter made its way north. The lowering sun created interesting shadows on the white snow with the tall pine trees appearing as giant matchsticks with frilly dark green boas on the landscape. The frozen lakes appeared as mysterious craters coming in many shapes and sizes amid the dark trees. Small multicolored specks populated on the surface far from the shore.

"Andy, what are the little specks on some of the lakes?" Roy asked from his headset as he observed the specks on the lakes as they flew over.

"Those specks are ice fishing houses. People park them there for the winter and fish in them. Some of the them can get pretty elaborate complete with furniture, television, and portable stoves," Andy commented.

"They fish through the ice?" Roy asked incredulously as he wrapped his mind around that comment.

"Yep and there are even tournaments. People drill holes in the ice and drop a line or use a spear to catch fish." Andy replied distantly. He continued to fly and watch the horizons before he spoke again.

"Roy, look over to your left and you'll see an amazing sight flying nearby," Andy chirped in the headset. "Look, quick!"

Roy looked out the window and smiled as he watched a bald eagle flying a short distance away. "They're truly amazing birds," Roy commented with wonderment as he watched the bird for several minutes in the daylight floating in the air. "This is the first time I've seen one flying in the wild like this."

"They're a wonderful sight to see in flight. It's our national bird and it's nearly extinct in parts of the country due to chemical poisoning, destruction of their habitat, or illegal hunting," Andy stated through the headset. "We're now flying over the White Earth Indian Reservation."

Roy looked down over the area that Andy referenced and studied the countryside that was a mixture of pine trees, fields, swamps, and lakes in a white, cold landscape.

"We'll be landing in about 15 minutes, Roy," Andy said."

Andy switched off the mic to Roy's headset and shifted his attention to the call from Bemidji air traffic control. Liz reviewed the information on the patient they were picking up at Northland Regional Hospital before landing.

"Ready to go, Roy?" Liz asked warmly as she placed the folder aside.

"I'm game." Roy replied

As the helicopter approached the helipad at the hospital, they were given the all clear to touch down. Within seconds the doors flew open on the side and Roy sprung to action to help Liz and Josh position the patient and place his IV's on the IV tree. Roy followed Liz's directions and closely monitored the patient's vitals as he was hooked up to the monitors in the bay and Northland's equipment was returned to them. The transfer happened so quickly and smoothly, that it was like a ballet as each person knew their role in the dance.

Within a short amount of time, the patient was settled in the helicopter and vitals checked. In addition to checking the dressings, the pressure points from the gurney straps and tubing from the oxygen cannula along with the IVs being checked to ensure no bubbles cropped up from moving the patient. Liz carefully monitored the breathing machines and heart monitor. Roy carefully watched as Liz meticulously checked everything twice to ensure safe transport of the patient.

After several minutes, she gave the Andy the signal to take off and head back to Fargo. As the flight progressed, Roy assisted Liz and Josh in closely monitoring the patient. As they approached Fargo, Andy checked with the Fargo air traffic control tower to alert them about their destination.

Within minutes of entering the Fargo airspace, they neared their destination of the hospital helipad. Liz and Josh started to shift the patient to portable breathing and heart machines to transport him off the helicopter once it landed. Andy carefully maneuvered the helicopter onto the helipad as Roy, Josh, and Liz finished getting things ready to unload the patient. Vitals were checked once again after the patient was shifted to portable equipment in order to move him into the hospital. Within seconds of landing, they were met by orderlies and nurses from ICU to transfer the patient into the hospital.

Andy shut down the copter and gestured to Roy that they head back to the pilot's room. As they approached the room, Andy was informed that their other patient transfer had already been moved and they were now on standby.

"Roy, let's head to the pilot's room as our second flight has already been done. Let's go and relax for a bit as it is almost news time," Andy offered.

"Hmmmm, I wonder if it will be on?" Roy wondered aloud.

"If you're wondering," Andy smirked with a broad grin, "I'll get the popcorn to celebrate the television appearance."

Roy shook his head and laughed, "You guys truly are a close-knit bunch."

The two men reclined in the gray cushioned chairs and relaxed during the news while eating turkey and cheese sandwiches. Andy started grinning when the story came on about Johnny and Roy's visit.

"I'm in the presence of a celebrity." Andy mused as he raised his soda to salute Roy. "Can I have your autograph?"

Roy shook his head in amusement to Andy's comment.

The report was edited to two minutes and it had sound bites from Ericsson, Roy, and Johnny along with the guys of Crew A. The report ended with a handshake with the members of Crew A.

"Roy, you're now a celebrity," Andy announced with amusement. "I hear you're doing Larry's show on KFGO tomorrow morning."

"That is what I understand," Roy replied as the finished chewing the last of his sandwich and he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "This will be an adventure."

"Yeah..., KFGO has a large broadcast range and it can be picked up throughout eastern North Dakota along with parts of Minnesota, Manitoba, and South Dakota," Andy said he munched on his sandwich.

"I've done a few television interviews over the years, but never a radio one," Roy said as he considered the interview tomorrow. "New experiences are always good."

"That they are...," Andy said thoughtfully as he sipped his soda. "I'll have to try and listen if I'm not in flight.

The guys relaxed as they continued to talk and watch television. The other flight crews were on missions to several places in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Radio chatter droned on the background. Roy quietly wondered about Johnny and how he was doing as both men were lost in thought.

Earlier in the day, Johnny remained with Sid and Jake, after he parted ways with Roy at the hospital. The crew of Ambulance 60 lingered in the hospital as they waited for a trainee, who was running late. Jake nodded to Johnny to follow him to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee as they left Sid in the break room waiting for their trainee paramedic.

"Hey...Jake! Take the radio with you," Sid called out to the two men as they left the room, "Behave yourself and stay out of the supply closets."

Johnny looked at Jake questioningly as they walked towards the cafeteria as he tried to figure out the point that Sid was trying to make in the break room. "What the heck was that all about?" He asked as they walked down the hall.

"Man...after three years... I thought... I could live it down. Some things just never go away...," Jake laughed shaking his head in disbelief. Jake took a deep breath and sighed as he formulated the words to explain Sid's remark in the break room. "Umm, about three years ago, I was helping a nurse, whom I was dating at the time. I was helping her move large boxes to the supply room with a gurney.

Johnny encouraged him to continue as his interest was piqued by the beginnings of this tale.

"You were being a perfect gentleman," Johnny interjected calmly as he tried to stifle a grin that was threatening to break out on his face.

"Neither of us realized that the door locked behind us, so we pulled the full gurney a little further into the room. We thought we had the door propped open. However, the gurney shifted and the door closed behind us and it locked. Since the door locked behind us we could not get out of this tiny room."

Jake paused briefly recounting the tale as Johnny struggled to keep a straight face. "We were stuck in this tiny room with the gurney yelling for help for nearly an hour before Sid arrived. I was trying to soothe the young lady by massaging her shoulder, offering words of support, and we shared a kiss. Sid caught the kiss I shared with the young woman. She was a real trouper about the whole incident," Jake reminisced with an amused look on his face. "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Did your rescuer see it that way?" Johnny smirked as he tried to stifle his chuckling and his eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Of course not! Sid had other ideas and I haven't lived it down since!" Jake exclaimed chuckling. "His recounting of the situation gets more creative each passing year!"

Johnny shook his head as he tried to keep his laughter in check.

"Well..., one good thing did come of the situation. I did marry her a year later," Jake said warmly and his eyes shined. "She's quite a woman."

A broad smile broke out across Johnny's face as he struggled to keep his laughter under control. "It could've been worse."

"That's true!" Jake mused as they approached the cafeteria.

As Johnny and Jake left the small cafeteria with their coffee and started head back to the break room, the handie talkie crackled to life. Jake grabbed it from his belt and gave the go ahead to Sid.

_"Are you two coming or do I need to find out which supply closet you managed to get yourself locked in, Matthews?" Sid teased over the radio._

"We're on our way, smart ass," Jake said facetiously. "One of these days... I will get even Allmaras!"

Sid shook his head laughingly as Johnny and Jake approached, "Glad I didn't have to rescue you again, Jake," Sid chuckled.

"It only happened one time," Jake said with a hint of resignation to the ongoing teasing about the incident.

"Well, I guess we're headed to Hawley to cover for their ambulance that is out for repairs for a few hours," Sid stated. "We'll deliver the candy to the station first."

"We need to make Spook work for it," Johnny chimed in as they made their way to the ambulance.

"I like how you think," Jake said sneakily.

As the guys climbed into the ambulance, Johnny and Jake plotted a sweet prank to pull on Spook. As the plan was hatched, their anticipation soon turned to disappointment as their plan would not be hatched. The target of their prank, Wes and Tad, were on a run involving a motor vehicle accident. They quietly placed the candy in the captain's office on his chair and covered it with a blanket. Sid waited in the ambulance with the trainee as Jake and Johnny went into the office with the sweet treats.

Sid grinned at Johnny and Jake as they came to the ambulance with a hint of sadness etched on their faces. He surmised to himself that their targets were on a run and the prank could not proceed as they had planned.

"I suspect your target was not in," Sid mused as he watched the two guys climb into the rig. Shaking his head, he pulled out the station's driveway and turned the ambulance towards Hawley. He had a small, imperceptible grin on his face as he watched them from the corner of his eye, sulking about their missed opportunity.

As they approached the outskirts of Hawley, they received a call to assist a pregnant woman in labor. Sid radioed acknowledgement of the call and hit the switches for the lights and siren, as Jake wrote down the address. As Jake wrote down the address, he had a feeling that the address was familiar and looked over at Sid with a puzzled look.

"Isn't that Jens Aurness's address?" Jake asked as he looked again at the address.

"Yeah..., It is," Sid replied with a hint of concern etched in his voice as he looked over at Jake. "Let's hurry."

The ambulance made its way through the snowy streets of Hawley and turned into the drive of a white house with a brick facade. Jake and Sid looked at each other before they slid out as they both had an uneasy feeling. Johnny followed close behind them as they approached the house. They were met by an older, silver and dark-haired woman, who showed them into the house's entryway. The house was decorated with influences from Scandinavian and Native American culture.

The four men stood in the entryway and the older woman gestured to Sid and Johnny to follow her to the living room. She looked over her shoulder fearfully at Jake and the trainee. Sid signaled to Jake to stay behind with the trainee as both men were aware of the older woman's distrust of whites, especially those connected to medicine.

The young trainee looked over at Jake in confusion as he did not understand what was going on. Jake silenced him as he tried to speak as it was not the place to divulge the details of the situation. Jake understood the older woman's hesitance, but he was not sure how to explain the situation to the trainee.

In the living room, Johnny and Sid could see a young, dark-haired woman on the couch in obvious discomfort and sweating. The older woman spoke to the younger woman in a language that was not familiar to Sid. Johnny recognized a couple of words, but the rest of the words were alien to him.

Sid leaned over and whispered in Johnny's ear, "You may have to help deliver the baby, if we don't make the hospital in time. Both women are wary of whites.

Johnny looked over at Sid hesitantly, "I suspect she's not overly trusting of strangers who are white."

"On some level, yes," Sid replied. "But with her mother here, it is a bit more complicated. Her mother is steeped in the traditional aspects of her culture and educated in the Crow tradition. She may not be overly keen on a white man delivering the baby, if a native is present."

"I can understand that," Johnny replied distantly before he started to approach the young woman. Johnny looked back at Sid as he approached the couch.

"Is it alright if I examine you?" Johnny asked calmly as he knelt down near the couch in an effort to ease her fears. He watched her carefully as noted an increase of pain that the young woman was feeling and sweat beads forming on her forehead. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

She nodded at Johnny to go ahead and gritted her teeth as another contraction ripped her body. Sid stood nearby to show respect, yet render assistance if needed.

"Her name is Ella Aurness," the older woman commented. "Her husband works at the fire station in Fargo and he was not available when I called, because he was on a run. We tried to reach him because, I don't drive.

"Ma'am, do you know when Ella's water broke?" Johnny asked cautiously as he delicately tried to gather information on Ella's labor.

"About three hours ago," the woman replied directly to Johnny as she watched the other three men nervously.

"Ella, my name is John Gage and I am going to help you, okay," he said softly. Ella nodded as she grimaced in pain as she let out a soft groan.

"Okay, Ella... I'm going to examine you to see how you are progressing at this point," Johnny said softly.

Sid handed Johnny a stethoscope as he started the examination. He quickly took her pulse and blood pressure and rattled the information off to Sid to write down. Carefully placing his hand on her midsection, he checked her respiration and the position of the baby. He smiled when he heard the fetal heartbeat and was pleased to see it was strong. Johnny timed her contractions at seven minutes apart.

"Sid, she is six centimeters dilated and the baby's head is down... we need to move her now," Johnny stated.

Johnny looked up at the older woman and back at Ella, "We are going to take you to the hospital, Ella, and I will remain at your side."

The older woman nodded her approval for Ella to be moved by Johnny and Sid.

He kept reassuring Ella as he monitored her contractions. "Sid, if we make it to the hospital, we'll be cutting it close."

Sid nodded at Johnny's comments and gestured to Jake to bring the gurney into the house with the assistance of the trainee. Jake gestured to the trainee to stay near the door as he gave a cursory explanation of the situation. The trainee watched what was going on in puzzlement as Jake approached the couch with the gurney and then stepped away. The trainee watched what was going on and he grew increasingly puzzled by the actions of his mentors. He was trying to grasp why a stranger was assisting the woman and the other two men stood to the side.

Jake looked over at the trainee and watched bewilderment spread across his face. He understood the hesitance of some natives to accept medical assistance from the whites and not all people did. It had only been a few years since forced sterilization had ended, but its legacy led to distrust and fear of the medical community. Sid signaled to Jake that he would be driving as he would be helping Johnny in the back of the ambulance.

Sid and Johnny carefully helped Ella onto the gurney and Johnny remained close by her side. Johnny finished covering her with the blanket and strapping her to the gurney. Once she was secured, Johnny and Sid quickly whisked her out to the running ambulance. The older woman watched with great concern as her daughter was being whisked away and prayed that everything would go well. A neighbor offered to give the older woman a ride to the hospital, which she gladly accepted.

Johnny and Sid settled in the back of the ambulance with Ella as Jake and the trainee crawled into the cab. Johnny quickly checked her vitals as Sid prepared an IV before pulling the OB kit from a small cubby above Johnny's head. Johnny placed a oxygen cannula on Ella to help her breathe during the contractions.

"Jake, can you call the hospital and have Ella's doctor report to Emergency. Her name is Dr. Amy Striker," Sid directed.

"On it!" Jake replied quickly as he grabbed the mic from its cradle. He radioed the hospital that they were on their way with a possibility of having to pull over to deliver the baby.

_"Ambulance 60, 10-4."_

"Ella, I'm going to give an IV to help with hydration," Johnny said softly as he gave the information to Sid to write on the chart. Johnny watched as Ella started to have another contraction and her grip tightened on his wrist. He quickly started to time the contraction and noticed that they were growing closer and increasing in intensity.

Sid wiped the sweat beads forming on her brow as her breathing grew more labored. He looked over at Johnny and his suspicions were confirmed that they may not make the hospital as Ella was progressing quickly.

As Jake eased the ambulance onto Highway 10, he grabbed the mic for the Fargo fire station.

_"Station 1, do you read?" Jake called._

Ackerman heard the call from the ambulance and quickly dropped the new hose he was stretching for one of the engines. He scrambled off the tower and raced across the bay to the base.

Reaching for the mic on the base station, he answered breathlessly, "Station 1, go ahead."

_"Ackerman, is Aurness available?" Jake asked._

"No, he's on a run," Ackerman responded as he clicked to hear Jake respond.

_"We're coming from Hawley and we want him to meet us at the hospital,_" Jake stated as he continued to drive through the flying snow arrows darting across the road.

"Do you want me to inform Red Wolf also?" Ackerman asked as he saw the crews return from the run.

_"Hmmmm, forgot about that bit of information," Jake mused. "Perhaps someone can escort Aurness to the hospital as the stork will soon be visiting._

10-4, Station 1 Out!"

_"____Ambulance 60, _10-4." Jake placed the mic back in the cradle just as the moans grew louder behind him. He could hear Johnny and Sid moving around as they monitored their patient. He started to watch for a place where he could possibly pull over if needed.

"Sid... she's dilated to eight centimeters," Johnny stated after checking her progress and the position of the baby. "We're not going to make the hospital. This baby is in a hurry and her contractions are more sustained."

Sid looked up at him and knew they would have to pull over. He looked over at Ella as he wiped the perspiration from her forehead and cheeks. Johnny gently squeezed her hand to reassure her that everything was alright and alleviate the fear that was showing in her eyes.

At the station, Red Wolf and the captain caught the tail end of the conversation between Ackerman and Jake as they walked towards the radio base station. Both men looked on with interest as the conversation came to an end.

"What's up?" Ericsson asked as his eyebrows knitted in concern watching Ackerman place the mic in its cradle.

"Aurness is about to become a daddy," Ackerman said with a restrained smile as he observed the somber mood of the crew. "Jake, Sid, and Johnny are bringing her into St. Luke's by ambulance. She's in labor."

"Ummm, I take it, there were casualties at the scene," He continued somberly.

"Yeah... a mother and her two children died instantly at the scene," Ericsson said distantly. "It is this type of accident that's always hard to see."

"Kids killed in an automobile accident is always hard," Ackerman responded sadly. "They're always the toughest deaths to deal with emotionally. It's one reason I hug my daughter a little closer to my heart every time I see her."

"Well at least some good will come out of the run," Ericsson replied as he wiped his hands across his weary face. "Do you want to run Aurness over to the hospital?"

"Sure, he'll be a mess of nerves," Ackerman said warmly as a knowing parent smile swept across his face. "The ambulance is on its way."

"Jens Aurness, get cleaned up... NOW!" Ackerman yelled with a knowing grin as he headed towards the locker room to get his coat and car keys.

Ericsson grinned as he watched Aurness go through a variety of emotions before the man finally realized what was happening. The moment of realization of the unfolding events and his reactions caused smiles to erupt in the apparatus bay.

Wes looked over at Aurness and grinned, "Hey man, get the heck out of here and give her our love!"

Jens Aurness made his way to the locker room and quickly shed his bunker gear and sweaty clothes. His mind was a mixture of excitement and fear as he showered. Deep down he hoped everything would go well as he was aware of Ella's hesitance towards white doctors. In the corner of his mind, he was kicking himself for not being there for her when she needed him. Toweling off from his shower, he quickly slipped into a pair of jeans and a blue flannel shirt. He ran his fingers through his thick, wavy, dark-blonde hair to try and tame his wild locks from going every direction. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly as he tried to hide his nervousness from his crew mates. His emotions started to overcome him as he realized he would soon be a father. Grabbing his coat, he slammed his locker door and hurried out of the dorm.

As he entered the apparatus bay, he was met by his crew mates who were gathered around Ackerman and the captain. The men offered good wishes to him.

"Jens, give my little sister my love and tell her, I'll see her soon," Red Wolf said warmly with a few tears in the corner of his eyes. "And give my niece or nephew my love."

"I will Aron... I love your sister dearly," Aurness whispered as he placed a hand on Red Wolf's shoulder. "Now I need to get going... I'll let you know in a bit."

"Good luck!" The members of Crew A chorused back as Aurness followed Ackerman to his car.

Red Wolf wiped the moisture from the corner of his eye before he turned his back to the door and resumed cleaning the squad after the run. In the back of his mind, he revisited the conversation with Ackerman and the captain and he wondered why Roy was not with the ambulance crew. The captain caught Red Wolf's demeanor and followed him to the side of the squad.

"Captain, can I ask you a question?" Red Wolf queried as he saw Ericsson approach.

"Sure, go ahead," Ericsson answered as he observed the puzzled expression on Red Wolf's face.

"When we caught the tail end of the conversation between Ackerman and Jake, he mentioned that only Johnny was with the crew. What happened to Roy?" Red Wolf asked.

Ericsson smiled at Red Wolf's question, "Nothing bad...I assure you... when they got supplies this morning for their ambulance run, they ran into Andy Jagloe and he offered to take one of them on a Life Flight run.

"Ahhh... good for Roy. It will be good for him," Red Wolf responded with a sigh of relief. "I thought something bad had happened since Johnny was the only one with the ambulance crew. If my sister does not make it to the hospital, she'll feel comfortable with Sid and Johnny helping her give birth."

"She's in good hands," Ericsson said warmly, "Aurness and Ella are going to be great parents."

Red Wolf nodded warmly at the captain's remarks and turned towards the squad to hide some of his emotions from the crew. "You're right captain," Red Wolf said softly, "They will."

"And you'll make a great uncle," Ericsson said softly as he placed a hand on Red Wolf's shoulder.

The ambulance continued to make its way down Highway 10 as the sirens echoed in the cold, crisp air and the wheels of the rig sliced through the snow arrows darting across the road. As they approached the outskirts of Dilworth, Ella grew increasingly uncomfortable as a strong contraction ripped through her body leaving her breathless and moaning loudly. The increasing pain caused her to scream out more as the contraction passed.

"Jake, pull over!" Sid yelled as he adjusted the oxygen canula and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. "NOW!"

"She's not going to make the hospital," Johnny said as he confirmed Sid's assessment.

Sid grabbed the stuff they would need to do the delivery in the ambulance including absorbent pads, blankets, sheets, gloves, and ties.

Grabbing the mic from its cradle, Jake radioed the hospital, "St. Luke's base, do you read?"

_"Ambulance 60, we read you loud and clear, go ahead."_

"We have to pull over, the patient is in an advanced stage of labor, delivery is imminent."

_"We will stand by if assistance is needed."_

"Ambulance 60, 10-4"

Jake quickly placed the mic back in its cradle as he drove to a gas station nearby.

Sid helped Johnny position Ella's legs and prepared the sheets for Johnny. Jake parked the ambulance at the gas station outside of Dilworth and dimmed the sirens but kept he lights on. Once the rig was parked, he slipped in to the back and positioned himself behind Ella to allow her to lean on him. Sid handed him a cloth to wipe the perspiration from her face and forehead.

Ella screamed out for Jens as another contraction ripped through her body with brutal force. Sid watched as she screamed out in pain for Jens and deep down he wished his friend was here for his wife.

"It's alright, you're safe with us and we'll help you," Johnny gently reassured her as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze before he slipped gloves on to his hand. "You're doing fine. Just breathe."

Johnny did another check and verified his suspicions that Ella's labor was picking up pace. He signaled to Sid that it was time.

Ella's groans grew louder and her breathing was becoming more labored, "I need to push, NOW" She grimaced. "I can feel it coming."

Johnny did a quick check and noticed that she was fully dilated and effaced. He palpated her abdomen and could feel the baby bearing down. The head was starting to crown.

"Okay, Ella, I want to take a deep breath and push when the contraction starts," Johnny said calmly as he focused on delivering the baby. The baby's head started to appear and he focused on helping the infant out into the world.

Ella followed Johnny's directions as Sid continued to check the fetal heartbeat. She grimaced her way through the contraction taking another deep breath as Johnny encouraged her to push. After several long, hard pushes, she felt a sense of relief and fell back against Jake breathing hard in an effort to catch her wind. Her attention was soon pulled from her sense of exhaustion, when she heard the cries of protest coming from Johnny's hands.

Johnny carefully cradled the newborn baby, "Welcome to the world little one! Ella, you have a beautiful baby girl."

The men in the ambulance smiled and breathed a sigh of relief as the baby let out a lusty cry of protest.

"Just a moment," Johnny beamed at Ella. "Give us a moment to clean the little one up."

Sid quickly clamped the cord, and started to clean the infant up, and taking an APGAR score. The baby was quickly wrapped in a sterile blanket and Sid placed the crying infant in Ella's arms.

As she cradled the infant, Johnny smiled as he finished cleaning Ella up, as he watched mother and baby. The baby quieted in her arms as Sid and Johnny took in the scene.

"Jake, get us to Fargo, STAT!" he chirped happily as they continued to monitor Ella and her daughter.

Jake acknowledged Sid's order with a huge smile as he pulled the ambulance back onto the highway and headed towards Fargo with lights and sirens blazing with precious cargo. He radioed the hospital informing them that they were on their way with an ETA of 10 minutes.

"She is a beautiful little girl," Johnny said warmly as he finished cleaning Ella up. Deep down he knew it was something he wanted for himself in the future and that was a family. It made him feel good when he could help someone.

"Thank you for helping, John," Ella said softly as she looked down on her daughter sleeping in her arms. "I can see her daddy's wavy hair."

"You're welcome...," Johnny said warmly as the young woman looked him gratefully. He looked over at Sid and both men smiled. Deep down they were both glad that they were there for her.

The ambulance quickly made its way through Moorhead and soon arrived at St. Luke's Hospital and entered the emergency entrance. Jake carefully backed the ambulance into the parking bay as Sid and Johnny did last minute preparations to unload mother and child when it came to a stop. Johnny and Sid quickly jumped out and pulled the gurney from the ambulance and wheeled it into the hospital. They were met by her doctor and Jens at the Emergency bay doors. The sight of Ella holding his child brought a few tears to his eyes. He planted a kiss on Ella's forehead and carefully touched his child.

"Jens, we have a little girl." she said softly as she leaned a little against the burly firefighter.

Jens Aurness looked at his wife and the baby she was holding with eyes filled with love. He fought to keep his emotions in check but a stray tear escaped as his heart swelled. He gently stroked Ella's hair as he looked over on both of them. "I think we need to call her something more than little one," he said with voice filled with emotion.

Ella mustered a tired giggle at Jens's comment. "I agree... I like Raya Skye Aurness," Ella said warmly.

"I like it," Jens said warmly as smile spread across his face. "Welcome to the world little Raya. I love you both."

As the doctor spoke with Johnny and Sid gathering details about the delivery, a nurse came in to take the infant to the nursery. The people in the room were startled when started Ella started to yell at the nurse not to take the baby and the look of terror in her eyes. Jens suggested that the nurse back off for a bit before taking the baby to the nursery. Dr. Striker quickly came to Ella's aid and instructed the nurse to back off until the examination was done. The nurse glared hard at the doctor and left the examining room. Individuals in the room let out a collective sigh when the nurse finally left. Dr. Striker was well aware of Ella's hesitance of the medical community and she understood that fear. Jens did his best to calm Ella after the exchange and gently tried to persuade her that that Raya could rest safely in the nursery.

"Jens, I'm scared they'll hurt her." she said shakily as she tightly gripped his hand. "I don't want them to hurt her like so many have hurt my mother and my cousins."

"I know you're scared and I wish I could take some of the pain away. I really do" Jens said softly. "Dr. Striker will make sure she is safe and no harm comes to Raya."

"I can promise you that, Ella," Dr. Striker said reassuringly. "She will come to no harm. If Daddy wants to hold her for a few minutes, I can examine you. After that, we will move you to a room and if you wish, I can escort her to the nursery."

Ella nodded approval at that plan as she nestled her daughter a little closer.

Johnny and Sid bid their goodbyes to them both as they started to slip from the room. "Johnny, Sid... thank you from Ella, me, and Raya," Aurness said warmly as he looked at his family and back at Sid and Johnny. "Can you let the others know about my little girl."

"We sure can!" Sid said warmly as a smile spread across his face. "I like the name."

Both men had large grins on their face as they approached the ambulance and spied Jake and the trainee cleaning the ambulance and restocking necessary supplies. "Hello guys!" Sid said gleefully. "You will be proud to know that Mother and baby are doing well, Daddy is overwhelmed with happiness at little Raya Skye Aurness."

"I like the name." Jake replied warmly. "Perhaps we should stop at the station quick and let the guys know."

"Let's go!" Johnny said warmly as he made his way to the cab.

The four guys boarded the ambulance and headed to Station 1 to give them the good news. In back of Sid's mind, he felt this was news that was best not to share over the radio. The four guys slid out of the ambulance and made their way into the station.

"UNCLE ARON RED WOLF!" Sid yelled in a sing-song way as they entered the station and approached the area where the ambulance typically parked, "Where are you?"

Red Wolf stuck his head out of from behind the squad when he heard his name called as a sly smile spread across his face. "Yeah?" he yelled back. The other crew members from Crew A poked their heads out from various places in the station as they awaited to hear the announcement. Captain Ericsson stepped out of his office to hear the news.

"We come bearing happy news for you!" Sid stated warmly as Johnny, Jake and the trainee stood next to him grinning. "Miss Raya Skye Aurness got to meet her daddy. She's a beautiful little girl, Aron. You'll be a proud uncle."

"Hey, Captain Ericsson, if you hear from Roy, can you let him know." Jake added. We didn't see him when we were at the hospital.

"Well... I guess congratulations are in order for Aurness and Uncle Red Wolf," Ericsson said warmly. Red Wolf's crew mates came up and offered the new uncle their congratulations. Their happy congratulations were soon drowned out by the tones.

_"Squad 20, Ambulance 60, Ladder 1, Engine 275, Engine 45, Engine 120, Station 2, Station 3, Moorhead Station 1, Moorhead Station 2 ... explosion at 2500 11th Street North in Moorhead. Assist Moorhead stations with large fire. Time out 1645."_

The men scrambled back to the ambulance, as members of Crew A boarded the Engines and squad that were going to a rescue and explosion at the sugar beet processing plant in north Moorhead.

Sid backed the ambulance out of the driveway of the station to allow the Engines and squad to leave. The Engines and the squad pulled out of the apparatus bay into the misty haze of white in the fading daylight. The red mystical beings screeched and bellowed in the cold air taking control of the roadway as the raced to the scene. The waning daylight gave the red rigs the element of being swift and mysterious entities with its red and blue lights ablaze.

The Engines pulled into the plant complex with workers from the plant directing them to the scene of the explosion. Activity could be seen in the area as men from the plant barked orders to others to move machinery and loaded boxcars from the source of the explosion. The cacophony of noise dulled the senses with sensory overload.

The grating of metal on the train tracks, belching exhaust from front loaders, and the groan of tractors struggling to move equipment in the snow and ice assaulted the senses. The sound of popping and crackling from the tank and surrounding area could be heard as it mixed with the sickeningly sweet smell of beet molasses, beet pulp, burnt charcoal, and the foul smell of methane. The smell of sweet mixed with an odor that was reminiscent of rotten eggs.

The engines continued to pull into the yard and Captain Ericsson started barking orders.

"Everyone in masks and air tanks. We're not sure what other chemicals may be in the air," Ericsson barked into the hand held talkie.

He signaled to Red Wolf to help direct traffic and resources. Red Wolf acknowledged the captain's order as he grabbed an extra tank and mask for the ambulance crew as they only had three tanks. Sid quickly took the additional gear from Red Wolf and headed back to the ambulance.

Radio chatter could be heard as engines responding to the call rolled in. Engines were going in several direction to their designated spots. Crews from the plant continued to pull equipment from near the tank.

"Moorhead Ladder 1 bring your ladder to the east side along with Engine 275 and Engine 120. Set up your hoses there," Ericsson barked in the handset.

"Engines 45, 120 and Ladder 2 set up on west side. Ladder 1 set up on the south side with Moorhead Tower 2 and Engine 240. Moorhead station 1 set up on the north side with your tower and Engine companies."

Captain Ericsson paused briefly before continuing the orders as the manager from the plant came up to inform him about four missing men.

"Squad 20, report to Engine 45 for rescue detail, four men missing inside of the tank."

Red Wolf caught the captain's orders and signaled to Tad, Wes and Ackerman to follow him and suit up for going in. The men checked their straps on their bunker pants and pulled on SCBA equipment on over their bunker coats. The four men tied lead ropes to their waist as guides. They were soon joined by two other teams from Station 2 and Moorhead Station 1 for the rescue detail. Turcotte and Daley, suited up in SCBAs, grabbed 1-1/2 hose to provide backup to the rescue crews and try to keep flames from complicating the extrication of the victims. They were soon joined by two additional teams on hose.

The men started towards the door of the tank in hopes of rescuing the four men alive. The heat and hissing from the tank was intense and nerve wracking. Ericsson watched the men as they made their way to the tank and prayed they would come out alive.

Johnny, along with the ambulance crews, started preparing things that would be needed for triage. They were soon joined by another ambulance crew to assist in preparations for tending the victims of the explosion. The two ambulances parked next to the each other and they strung two sets of tree lights to signify that they were ready to receive the victims. The warming bus pulled up alongside and Sid instructed the driver to remain inside and open the door of the bus only when someone came due to the air quality.

Sid handed Johnny a handie talkie as he knew it would be a little while before the crews would be bringing the victims out of the tanks. Sid quietly prayed that there would only be four victims from the incident and that his firefighter brothers would remain safe.

Johnny walked a short distance to Squad 20 where Captain Ericsson continued to bark orders and directing resources to the spots where they were needed including two additional Engine companies that would were directed to offer pumper support to the engines that were established on the fire field. He observed the captain's eyes and gestures as they darted in any directions taking in the scene while paying attention to the chirping from the handie talkie.

After several minutes of observing the captain in action and the ladder crews spraying onto the roof, he returned to the ambulance crews. Jake listened carefully to the chatter and soon learned that there was at least one casualty as one man was morbidly injured from burns due to scalding beet sugar. They were still hoping that the other three men would be located and rescued alive.

The minutes ticked by and word soon came from the rescue crews that they were bringing out the four victims, including the deceased male. Sid pulled a black bag from an outside compartment of the ambulance for the men to place the body. He wanted to allow the victim some semblance of dignity in death from the prying eyes of the television crews covering the explosion. The police had their hands full keeping not only the reporters at bay, but to keep curiosity seekers and family members a safe distance from the scene.

"Heads up!" Sid yelled when he heard that the men were coming out of the tank. The noise grew louder as others started to shouting to back off as the inside of the tanks was about to blow again as the fire neared a fuel source inside that fueled equipment needed for operation of sugar production. The chatter grew louder on the radio as an alarm sounded among the firefighters.

Men started scrambling down the ladder trucks and running from near the structure as the ground began to rumble from the gas explosion happening inside of the tank. The blast was deafening and its brute power knocked men off of their feet.

The rescue crews made their way to the triage area with their victims just as the explosion began. Two of the victims were laid on their stomachs due to the extent of their injuries. The deceased victim was respectfully placed into a black bag. The rescue teams changed their tanks for a fresh tank and grabbed a hose to fight the fire.

Johnny, Sid, and Jake did a quick assessment of each patient and focused on treating the most critical patient first. The trainee followed behind Jake helping to record information on one of the less seriously injured patients suffering from a broken leg, smoke inhalation, and steam burns on his shoulder. They carefully packaged the victim for transport after applying sterile dressing to the burns on his shoulder and upper arm. They moved on to the second victim who was also burned and suffering from smoke inhalation.

Johnny and Sid concentrated on a critically burned patient with first, second, and third degree burns on his back, buttocks, and legs. The man screamed in pain as they tried to remove clothing near the burned areas to reduce any additional heat burns. Sid looked again at the man and back at Johnny as he recognized the man they were treating. Johnny quickly prepared sterile sheets as Sid opened jugs of saline solution on the less burned areas on his legs.

"Johnny, this is Steve Lehmann's brother, Bill," Sid whispered as he prepared an IV drip with morphine for pain.

"Really?!... Red Wolf and Tad brought him out," Johnny said in astonishment as he continued to monitor the vitals and the man's pain level. "They did a good job extricating him from the scene by not adding further injury to the burns. Let's get him packaged up and to the hospital before his systems shut down."

"I will agree with you there," Sid replied as he continued to add moisture to the sterile dressings.

Sid signaled Jake to radio the hospital about the one victim that would need to be flown directly to the Hennepin County Medical Center burn unit.

"St. Luke's base, this is Ambulance 60, do you read?"

_"We read you Ambulance 60, go ahead."_

"We have a critically burned victim result of a steam and fire explosion at a plant that will need to be flown to the burn center."

_"We'll alert life flight and the burn center, in addition to having a burn nurse added to the flight_.

"10-4 base on the one patient."

_10-4 is that all?"_

"No base,...We have three additional victims from the explosion. The second victim has second and third degree burns on his arms and a broken ankle the has been splinted and the burns dressed. The third victim has steam burns on his shoulders and upper arm that are first and second degree burns in nature in addition to having a broken right tibia and fibula. The fracture has not broken the skin and it has been splinted with sterile dressings applied to the burns. The fourth victim is expired from his injuries."

_"Go ahead, Ambulance 60."_

Jake waited momentarily before continuing. "We will be bringing in the first victim. Ambulance 61 will bring in the other two victims. A hearse is picking up the deceased and he will be delivered to the morgue."

"ETA in 6 minutes, base. Ambulance 60 out." Jake reported to base.

_"10-4, we'll be waiting."_

Johnny and Sid quickly finished packaging their patient for transport to the hospital and remained in the bay of the ambulance with the patient monitoring his condition continuously. Sid signaled to Jake to go once the doors were closed to the ambulance. The ambulance pulled out with a police escort to the hospital with sirens blazing.

Meanwhile in the hospital, a call was placed to the pilot's room, Andy picked up the phone and quickly jotted down information he would need to file for an emergency flight plan.

"Roy, get ready, we'll be flying in 20 minutes. We are taking a critically burned man down to Hennepin," Andy stated with a sense of urgency in his voice. "We will be joined by a paramedic and a burn nurse. I think the paramedic is Sid, because he has been working on this patient."

"It must have been a serious accident," Roy commented as he buttoned his flight jumpsuit and adjusted the straps and buckles.

"Yeah, an explosion at the beet plant. Four men were injured with one of them being fatal," Andy stated solemnly as he pulled the information together he would need. "I guess it could have been worse."

"True...," Roy said distantly as he followed Andy out of the room towards the helipad."

The flight nurse and the burn nurse met the ambulance at the door of the emergency unit. The ambulance barely came to a stop as the doors flew opened and Johnny and Sid were met by the emergency personnel and the burn nurse to check Lehmann's injuries and assess his condition before loading him in the helicopter for Hennepin. As he was wheeled into the treatment room, he was quickly checked by the nurse and his condition remained stable. After his condition was assessed, he was packaged for flight and moved to the helipad for immediate transport.

Andy settled in the pilot's seat and started the engine and his co-pilot beside him. The helicopter roared to life as the blades slowly started rotating before reaching a point where they would soon be ready to take off. Andy finished radioing flight information to Fargo air traffic control and was granted emergency departure when they were ready. His co-pilot finished additional engine checks for the flight.

Andy radioed down to Emergency to inform them that they were ready to go. Sid, the flight nurse and the burn nurse moved Lehmann to the elevator to take them up to the helipad. Roy slid opened the door of the helicopter and readied himself to help load the patient. He signaled Andy with a thumbs up that they were making their way to the helicopter.

As the group neared the helicopter, Roy reached down to help Sid up into the helicopter bay. Both men helped lift the patient into the bay and maneuvered him into place. The flight nurse started attaching the victim to different monitors as Roy placed his IV bag on the IV tree. The door closed and Andy gave the orderlies several minutes to clear the helipad. The nurses and Sid monitored the patient and machines as they prepared for takeoff.

When they were ready, Sid gave Andy the all clear to take off for Hennepin. The black, gold, and white helicopter lifted into the night sky and angled towards Minneapolis. Roy leaned over as he started assisting Sid and the nurses with the man's care. He was surprised to see who it was and he did a double take. He looked over at Sid and the expression on his face confirmed Roy's suspicion of who the patient was on the gurney. Roy stuffed his own feelings aside and looked at the man as person needing medical attention.

"Roy, Steve will be shocked when he finds out that it was Tad and Red Wolf, who pulled his brother from the fire and Johnny helped work on him." Sid stated. "I will say this, if he lives through the hell he is about to go through with his injuries, he will be a very lucky man."

Roy looked at Sid as the two men came to an understanding that there was poetic justice in a tragedy and we are all created from the same fabric. Deep down, he wondered if this might be the event in Lehmann's life that changes his perception of Indians. Only time would tell.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**[Author's note: Graphic description of burn injuries. Proceed with caution.]**

The helicopter blades sliced through dark winter night sky striking back against the closing jaws of death as it continued towards their destination. Both paramedics were lost in thought as they continued to provide care in the helicopter bay. The radio chatter mingled with beeping and whirring sounds from the monitors and smell of burnt flesh. The burn nurse pulled material and supplies from a nearby bin that she would need to keep the wounds sterile.

Roy stuffed his feelings and memories down about Bill Lehmann's attack on Johnny and him on the flight to Fargo. The man's venom still resonated in the back of his mind. Thinking to himself, he wondered why the man had so much hate. The man did not even know Johnny or the loyalty he had as a friend and colleague in the field. Roy mused to himself for a split second regarding the dignity and irritation Johnny had towards Chet's bad jokes and if one looked beyond his 'Indian-ness', they would see the humor and charm he had to offer.

Roy looked over at Sid and noticed the same anger building in his new found friend. Sid's feelings about the man laying on the gurney challenged his own beliefs of compassion for his fellow man. Memories of the man's hatred played in the back of his mind as he struggled with his own emotions. Part of him wanted to let the man die for the hatred he presented to people. Sid wondered why a person would want to focus on hatred for people he did not even know. The mere presence of the man was leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

Sid wondered to himself what event or experience happened in Steve and Bill's life that propelled them to have this level of hatred. Struggling with his own thoughts, he carefully considered the lessons he learned from his own parents and grandparents concerning the acceptance of others. He did not understand the hatred the Lehmanns had for a culture they not try to understand. He was by no means an expert on native culture, but he recognized the beauty of what people had to offer.

Sid shook himself from the momentary distraction that was overtaking his own mind. Taking a deep breath, he shifted back into paramedic mode and stuffed his feelings away. Slowly letting out the breath he was holding and returned his attention back to tending the patient. He looked over at Roy and noted that he was also struggling with his emotions. He felt bad for the two men from Los Angeles as they entered a hornet's nest they had no control over. The look in Roy's eyes was similar to the expression that John had at the incident site. It echoed a sadness where a person was judged on his skin color and not his character. He was glad to call both men friends.

Sid and Roy turned their attentions to attending the patient's burns under the direction of the burn nurse. Roy took additional saline she handed him and poured it on the burns to keep them moist. The smell of burned flesh permeated his nostrils. It was a odor that made him ill at times. Small burns did not bother him as badly as the extensive burns that Lehmann had on his back, upper legs and buttocks. Roy focused on the nurse's directions as a way to avoid visual eye contact with Lehmann.

"How much do you want me to pour on the wounds?" Roy asked the burn nurse as he started to pour the saline.

"Pour a little less on the arms and lower thighs as they seem to be cooling," The burn nurse directed as she pointed to his arms and thighs. "Pour more on the areas starting to blister. These areas here. Those areas still need attention around the outer edges of the burns on the back."

Sid checked the IVs and administered a morphine push under the nurse's direction. Roy closely monitored Lehmann's vitals as Sid administered the drug into the IV port. The nurse adjusted the nasal cannula while the burn nurse worked on removing additional clothing from near the burn area.

The burn nurse carefully recorded information on the burn damage and the depth of the burn injury. Lehmann groaned pitifully as the nurse carefully checked the burn areas and its ravages on the human anatomy in a way that was never intended.

Blisters began to appear on the less burned areas creating a ring of yellow and white as it encircled the most critically burned areas of his back. His back was mixture of blackened skin, burnt muscle, and oozing blood and fluids. Tufts and fibers from his clothes protruded in the most critically burned areas giving the back an appearance of a shrapnel injury as it adhered to burnt flesh. Two places on the lower back, the skin was gone revealing only burned muscle and tendons. His shoulder was beginning to blister in the second degree areas and it added to the sight of the horrific injury. The injury was evolving into something nonhuman. His legs had evidence of first and second degree burns that started at the buttocks and decreased in severity as it spread down the back of his thighs. Lehmann's injuries served as a testament that the human body is no match for the vengeful attacks of fiery arrows.

After the burn nurse finished her assessments, she laid another sterile cloth on Lehmann's back and Roy poured more saline on the affected areas. She sighed as she finished the last of her notes.

"Whoever helped you process him in the field Sid, they did a very good job removing clothes and tending the injury," the burn nurse stated approvingly. "I'm really glad to see a lot of the clothing is already cut away. It may have reduced some of the damage."

"I'll tell our new found friend and paramedic brother," Sid responded with a small wink at Roy.

Roy looked over at Sid and he mouthed Johnny's name with a hint of surprise. He filed the comment away at the present moment, to ask Sid later, as this was not the time nor place to ask for additional information. He thought to himself that perhaps it was a bit of poetic justice. Sid gave him an imperceptible nod to confirm his suspicions.

Over the years of being a paramedic, both Johnny and him dealt with patients burned as a result of fires or scalded from boiling substances or oil. The industrial accidents that resulted in burns were one thing but the burns that came from a domestic situation was something he never understood. The smell of burning flesh was a odor that was not easy to escape. It seeped into your mind and soul, as it stayed with you like an unwanted guest. It stayed in your nose and there was no escape from it. The burned flesh served as a reminder about the fragility of human life, when man comes into contact with a force greater than itself.

"Nurse, his blood pressure is steady at 100 over 80 but his breathing is becoming labored," Sid commented mechanically to her as she jotted down the information.

"What's the ETA to HCMC, Andy?" the nurse asked as concern became etched on her face and it echoed in her voice as she reacted to the distress she heard in the patient's breathing.

"90 minutes or less, if the weather holds," Andy replied through the headset as he kept his eyes on the instruments and radio chatter from airspace channels. Flying at night provided different challenges due to reduced visibility because of darkness. The sky was clear and full of stars decorating the dark stage. The northern lights could be seen flickering in the distance. They served as a reminder that there always a power greater than oneself

"Okay, we may have to radio ahead to the burn center to get permission to do a tracheotomy," She commented as she monitored Lehmann's breathing. "His breathing is becoming labored."

"Do you want me to patch you in to the burn center?" Andy asked as he could hear the raspy breathing of the patient via the headset between him and the nurse.

"Yes, go ahead," the nurse replied. "I just want to be on the safe side with this man."

Andy signaled to his co-pilot to contact Hennepin County Medical Center base to set up a possible relay with the burn unit. "No problem, we should have a radio link in a few minutes."

"Thanks," the nurse replied.

Meanwhile, Johnny and Jake hung around in the hallway at the hospital for 20 minutes as people were scurrying around to different parts of the emergency room area responding to a myriad of calls coming into the hospital. Approximately 20 minutes after their arrival, Ambulance 61 arrived with their two patients. Jake walked up to one of the guys he knew on the crew.

"How goes it out at the incident site?" Jake asked as he wondered if there were additional victims from the explosion.

"They were finally able to foam the fire. There have been a few firefighters treated for smoke inhalation, in regards to medical treatment. Nothing major," The driver of 61 stated. "It could've been far worse. They're starting to send some of the units back to the barns. Units from Moorhead and Station 2 will remain on overhaul and mopping up duties for a while, yet."

"I agree," Jake surmised. "It could've been far worse. I'm glad that they're starting to wrap things up there."

"Any ideas what caused the explosion?" Johnny asked, standing against the wall, as he processed the events of the last couple of hours.

"From what I heard, according to some of the radio chatter, it sounds like it was a combination of someone putting the wrong type of fuel in the boiler and poor venting. Apparently, regular gasoline was used instead of diesel in the motor of the boiler. OSHA is on its way, along with State Fire Marshall and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency from St. Paul to investigate."

"Not a good mix," Johnny replied as his mind drifted back over other explosions he had experienced. "At least the concrete contained some of the effects of the explosion."

"Very true John," Jake stated as he offered support to Johnny's comment. "What kind of explosions do you deal with in Los Angeles County, John?"

"It depends..., some are small explosions caused by a gas leak at a house, an overturned tanker on the freeway or a large ones at the oil refinery or a chemical factory." Johnny paused momentarily before continuing, "The challenge with tanker fires is trying to find out what they're carrying. The approach to fighting the fire is based on what chemical they're carrying. I've seen oil tankers explode along with tankers hauling phosphates and different fertilizers. The scariest explosion was rescuing a person from a lab that was leaking radiation."

"Radiation?" Jake looked at Johnny in shock.

"Yeah..., we have a lot of different labs in LA county and some deal with radioactive materials," Johnny replied. "Firefighters and paramedics are at risk from contamination due to the nature of the rescue. Do you guys deal with radiation here?"

"Not as much here in Fargo but there is more of a risk by Grand Forks and Minot due to the nuclear missiles and missile silos," Jake responded.

"Aside from explosions and motor vehicle accidents, do you deal much with accidents between vehicles and wildlife?" The driver from Ambulance 61 asked.

"Some," Johnny replied thoughtfully as he tried recalling runs relating to accidents tied to wildlife. "Not that often, but we do occasionally come across an injured deer, raccoon, or coyote on the 405 or another area highway nearby. We also run across an occasional rattlesnake."

"In some areas we have a lot issues involving accidents between a vehicle and a deer or moose running into them," Jake replied. "Deer can do a real number on cars."

Jake paused momentarily before continuing as he registered a comment that Johnny made about rattlesnakes, "Rattlesnakes? We don't even have them here."

"Yeah..., when we respond to a call in the rural areas or the canyons, we have to watch for them," Johnny replied. "I've been bitten by one in the leg and it hit my vein."

"Yikes!" Jake replied wide eyed at the thought of being bitten by a snake. "We only have garter snakes here and they are not venomous. We don't even carry snakebite kits."

The discussion continued for several minutes before Jake looked at his watch and noted that they should be heading back to the station for a crew change.

"Well..., sorry to cut the discussion short guys, but we need to head back to the station for a crew change," Jake said warmly as he gestured to Johnny to follow him out to the ambulance. "See ya later guys, take care."

Johnny offered his farewell to the crew of Ambulance 61 and followed Jake out to the ambulance. Johnny climbed wearily into the cab and belted in for the drive to the station. Wiping his face with his hands, he slowly exhaled the breath he felt like he was holding for an eternity. His mind whirled as he tried to put the events of the day into some sort of perspective.

"10-8 to Station 1," Jake radioed dispatch.

It was a quiet ride back to the station as both men were lost in thought about treating Bill Lehmann. Jake could sense both Johnny and Sid's discomfort out in the field but chose not to say anything. The ambulance pulled into the apparatus bay and the two guys slid out. He looked over and could see a troubled look on his friend's face.

"Hey John, I'll give you a lift to Ericsson's," Jake commented as he tried to stifle a yawn. "Let's get yours and Roy's candy from the office and I'll grab my coat and keys."

"Sounds good, Jake, and thanks," Johnny said tiredly. "Appreciate it."

"No, problem, Johnny. I would be happy to do it," Jake said warmly.

Crew B was waiting at the station to take over the rigs. They were met by the replacement ambulance crew as they started to walk away from the ambulance. Jake relayed the necessary information they needed to know about the rig. Jake also informed the crew that Sid would be in later, after he returned from Minneapolis, around midnight to finish the paperwork and logs regarding their runs.

Jake and Johnny made their way to the captain's office to retrieve Johnny and Roy's candy. They slipped quietly into the office and were surprised to see the captain from Crew B, Bill Haakenson, standing near the desk. Haakenson was pleasantly surprised to see Jake and Johnny enter the office.

"Nice to see you, Gage," Haakenson stated warmly. "I've heard good things about you."

"Thank you..., Nice to meet you, sir," Johnny replied nervously as he gathered their candy. He noted the candy for Crew A was still tucked away in the corner with a note to Captain Ericsson. Jake picked up on Johnny's discomfort and tried to find a way to escape. Deep down, he sensed that Haakenson seemed like a decent person but it was the prospect of running into Lehmann that made them uneasy and they wanted to avoid any interaction with the man.

"Captain Haakenson," Jake interjected coolly as he tried to ease Johnny's discomfort and moved closer to the captain, "I gave the ambulance crew the information on the rig and that Sid would be in later to finish the logs when he returns from a Life Flight run."

"Thanks Jake," Haakenson said as he sensed Jake and Johnny's nervousness. "How did things go tonight at the incident site?"

"Three injuries and one death," Jake replied mechanically as he looked off distantly beyond the captain. "One of the injured men, if he recovers from his injuries, will have substantial scars and related issues from his burns, both physically and emotionally. He'll have a very long and painful road to recovery."

"I've been informed that Steve Lehmann's brother, Bill, is one of the injured," Haakenson stated as he pressed his fingers on the desk while he shifted his position, leaning against the desk.

Jake looked at Captain Haakenson in surprise and wondered how he found out so quickly about Bill Lehmann. The captain caught Jake's reaction to his statement regarding Lehmann. Jake's reaction to Haakenson's remark was not missed by Johnny and he continued to watch the interaction between the two men with interest. Johnny's brown eyes shifted back and forth between the two men.

"I was informed by Steve, that family members were driving down to the Twin Cities tonight, when they heard he was being airlifted to the Hennepin County Medical Center burn unit," Haakenson stated.

Johnny and Jake looked at each other and then back at the captain as either of them did not know what to say on the matter. They both wanted to speak with Tad and Red Wolf first, to get their feelings on the matter and hopefully, before they found out from others. They both felt it was important for Tad and Red Wolf to have the opportunity to voice the positions on the rescue.

After some hesitation, Jake finally spoke to the captain, "There are some facts about the rescue I want to review with some people first before I can discuss it."

The captain nodded and understood where Jake was coming from, "I suspect the facts about the rescue will either be taken in a good light or add fuel to someone's hate."

"You could say that," Jake offered distantly. "It will be interesting to see where a person's hatred takes him. That's all I'm going to say right now."

Johnny continued to watch the exchange between the two men and soon realized what the implications of the rescue could have on the dynamics of Haakenson's crew, if the information was divulged too soon.

Haakenson studied Jake hard after his remarks, as it finally dawned him of what may have transpired. If his hunch was right, Red Wolf or Tad may have rescued Lehmann's brother. The act of bravery, could either change or inflame the dynamics between Lehmann and others in the department. At that point, he understood the hesitance of Jake to divulge any details of events at the incident field.

Haakenson sensed that Jake wanted to discuss the matter first with them and he respected that element of loyalty Jake had with Captain Ericsson and the men of Crew A. Haakenson was well aware that Aron Red Wolf and Tad Longie had long been a target of Steve Lehmann's venom. The rescue could have an effect on departmental dynamics regardless, if Bill Lehmann recovered or not from his injuries.

Thinking to himself, Haakenson suspected that the men did not know who they were rescuing but were only doing their jobs as public servants. He wondered to himself if there was a chance that they did know it was Lehmann and they fulfilled their duties by setting aside their own opinions about the man. That was the larger question he pondered as he examined the events in his own mind.

"Perhaps we'll see where this all goes from here," Haakenson stated.

"Time will tell," Jake responded distantly as he thought about the rescue and its implications.

Johnny and Jake offered their good nights to Captain Haakenson and headed out to the parking lot. Jake crawled into his cold green car and shivered from the cold and a close call with Haakenson about the rescue. Johnny got in on the passenger side and let out a sigh of relief from the breath he did not realize he was holding.

"That... was a very close call," Johnny sighed in relief. "I think you're wise to wait and speak with Tad and Red Wolf first. They need to deal with their feelings about the rescue on their own terms."

"Yeah...," Jake sighed in relief as he started his car. The car groaned and grumbled before finally coming to life in the cold. "I just want to make sure Tad and Red Wolf are comfortable discussing the rescues. They've been the targets of Lehmann's hatred for a long time and they need to deal with the information. How do you feel about it, John?"

Johnny carefully considered Jake's question before responding. He was conflicted on caring for a person who found hatred for his background and not his character. It was a feeling that he had only known a few times as a child. The feeling of uncertainty left him floundering.

"Jake..., I don't know, I really don't know," Johnny replied distantly as he battled his emotions. "Part of me would have been content to walk away and let him suffer, but could I live with myself, if I denied a person medical attention."

"I feel the same way," Jake sighed heavily as he pulled into the Ericsson's driveway.

"It will be interesting to see how Roy feels, if he is on the same Life Flight run with Sid." Johnny stated.

"Holy crap! Never thought about that!" Jake exclaimed in astonishment as he realized the implications of Johnny's comment. "Oh... boy..."

"Yeah... it will, because Sid was uncomfortable treating him in the field as I was," Johnny commented as he watched Jake's reaction. "I'm hoping all of us involved tonight can sit down and talk with Tad and Red Wolf. It will either go well or shit will be fanned."

"Isn't that the truth. See you tomorrow or Thursday. Ericsson will wait at the station until Roy and Sid return from the flight," Jake said as he watched Johnny get out and grab the candy from the backseat.

Johnny grabbed the candy from the back seat after he got out of the car. "Night Jake, I had a good time today. Thanks!" Johnny said appreciatively as a smile crept across his face. "The best part of the day was Fankhanel's and bringing little Raya into the world."

"I agree on you about Fankhanel's and Raya. She is a cute little girl," Jake returned the comment with a wide grin. "Have a good night, John."

Johnny nodded in agreement to Jake's comment. He carefully made his way on the icy sidewalk up to the house as Jake started to pull out of the driveway. He was met at the door by Delora as she grinned at Johnny juggling the bags and a box of candy.

"I take it, that you went to Fankhanel's," Delora mused playfully as he offered to help Johnny with the bags and a box of candy.

"Hello Delora," Johnny mused as he entered the house. "Yeah..., Fankhanel's was an adventure. It was fun to see an old-fashioned candy and drugstore"

"And Spook had you pick up an order, right?" She giggled as she shook her head at Johnny's smiling face and his hands and arm full of candy.

"Spook..., he truly is a mysterious force that has a way of confounding a person. He really does get around, doesn't he?" Johnny mused in amazement as he shook his head smiling.

"Um..., not sure if you know yet, but Red Wolf became an uncle today. His sister, Ella, gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl this afternoon named Raya Skye. She gave birth in the back of the ambulance on the way to Fargo from Hawley. Sid and I helped deliver the baby."

"Yep, that he does, you never know when he'll create his mischief." Delora said warmly as she placed the bags and small box on the table. "That is great news for Red Wolf. He'll make a great uncle. She has a beautiful name."

She paused momentarily as she looked at Johnny with mild interest and observed the mask he was hiding behind.

"Wanna talk for a bit, my promise from this morning still stands? The kids are on a sleep over with friends and Roland won't be home until late as he'll wait for Roy to return from Minneapolis. Sandi is at the library until late studying for midterms."

"I'd like that," Johnny replied thoughtfully as he stood near the table.

"I've tried to put the dream out of my mind for most of the day by remaining active in the adventures I found myself in," Johnny commented as he picked up the candy from the table and sighed softly. "Give me a few minutes to change and put the candy away."

"Sounds good and I'll make some tea," Delora replied warmly.

Delora sensed that Johnny was coming down from hiding behind his mask and prepared herself mentally for the work ahead. She watched as Johnny headed to his room to put away the candy that Johnny and Roy purchased in Hillsboro and tried to figure out the best way to heal his wounded spirit.

As he disappeared down the hall, she made her way to the kitchen to make some tea, when she felt a chill go down her spine. She looked towards the direction that Johnny went and had a feeling that something else happened during the day and it left him shaken. She shook the feeling she had running down her spine and focused on preparing the tea. While gently preparing the herbs and feathers for smudging, she offered a blessing in their preparation.

Johnny entered the room and placed the candy on the dresser near the suitcases. He shook his head in amusement as he wondered how they were going to explain Spook and Fankhanel's to their crew mates at Station 51. Spook was an enigma that defied explanation, he mused to himself as he placed the candy on the dresser. Digging in his bag of candy, he pulled out five extra peppermint sticks he purchased for the Ericsson kids and Sandi.

Pulling his gray USC sweatpants from his suitcase, he slipped them on and placed his jeans on the dresser near his suitcase and candy. Closing his eyes, he sighed heavily as his mind began to whirl and the voices from his dream began to haunt him. He shivered as he pulled his navy blue LACoFD t-shirt over his head as he tried to shake the sensation from his soul. Running his fingers through his thick black hair, he took a deep breath and exhaled as he tried to get his noisy mind to quiet. Deep down, he hoped others had not see the pain in his eyes nor sensed the unease connected to his dream. Slipping socks on his feet, he plodded out to the kitchen, hoping he could keep the effects of the dream known only to Roy and Delora.

"Smells good," he said quietly as he sat on a chair at the far end of the table from the kitchen and laid the sugary treats on the table for the kids. "These are for the kids and Sandi from Roy and I."

"Thank you, I'll put the peppermint sticks up for them. They'll appreciate it," Delora said warmly as placed the peppermint sticks on the counter. She picked up the tray with the tea and started to walk through the dining room.

"I think you'll like it," Delora said warmly as she walked past him signaling him to follow her with a tilt of her head. "Let's go to the living room, it's more comfortable to talk there. It's also warmer by the fire."

Johnny got up from the table and followed Delora to the living room. The house was quiet, eerily quiet. He settled on the couch near the fireplace and Delora placed the pot on a nearby table. She poured a cup and offered it to Johnny. It was an aroma he was not familiar with and it had a hint of licorice. Sipping the concoction, he found it to his liking. The aroma from tea teased his taste buds and tickled his nose as he tried to analyze it. It had a sweet, almost calming smell.

"Enlighten me again about grandfather and your visit with him," Delora said gently as she encouraged Johnny to begin.

Johnny took a deep breath as he burrowed into the couch to get comfortable. He closed his eyes as he revisited the dream and his mind tried to bring the images into focus. He took a took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before he spoke.

"I dreamed that I was walking through a blizzard of arrows flying around me. I was trying to get to a crying child, to comfort him and take away his pain. The arrows and voices of poisonous words swirled around us in brown, red and black arrows. I heard an owl calling me and I whistled back but it did not answer. The owl blinked and its eyes revealed past hurts hidden behind a curtain. The arrows flew in the crying wind and the drums were beating."

Delora watched carefully as she noticed fear and hurt starting to creep into Johnny's eyes. Quietly observing, she also noted that he was beginning to struggle with his words. She gently encouraged him to continue speaking. "It's okay, just take your time," Delora gently whispered to reassure him as she leaned towards him from chair next to him.

Johnny took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before continuing as he fought the tears and emotions welling up inside of him. His hand rested on his knee and his fingers started drumming. Control of his emotions was the goal to keep from breaking down. Logic and emotion were in a struggle for control and part of him felt lost and confused.

"Images and words from the past kept blocking me from helping the child. The arrows always seemed to miss me. A wolf came before me and was lying next to the child to comfort him and his tail wrapped around the child. I picked up the child to comfort him and take away his pain so he could laugh and play."

Johnny paused briefly before continuing and wiped away a stray tear, "The wolf presented me an arrow on a willow shaft with eagle feathers. I knelt down to pick it up and the wolf looked at me intently. I placed my hand on the arrow lying on the blanket and looked at it closely. The arrow was clear and it appeared to be warm and filled with tears. I looked again at the wolf and then over at the child, who was looking back at me with soft brown eyes and a crooked smile. It was at this point, I heard my grandfather speaking. I turned around looking for the voice to see where it was coming from. It told me not to fear the poison in their arrows. He encouraged me to trust my spirit animals and those I trust, including one not of our people. The voice referred to the child as "_I am he and he is I and we need to heal each other in the now in order to grow in the future_."

Johnny paused briefly before continuing as he struggled to keep his emotions in check and from bubbling up. He concentrated on getting his breathing under control before speaking. "It was at this point, I could vaguely hear Roy calling my name to wake me up as I kept calling out for grandfather. The voice was so real, it felt like he was in the room with me. I could feel him there beside me."

"It was real and he was there," Delora whispered softly as she shifted in her chair, "Did you grow up near your grandfather in Montana?"

"No..., my parents were moved before I was born," Johnny whispered with small smile at the corner of his mouth as he remembered his grandparents. "I did spend summers at the reservation when we would visit my grandparents. I loved to listen to his stories and his wisdom. He was a wise man. The reservation was not easy to visit. There was a lot of heartache and sadness. The people seemed broken and lost."

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before continuing, "I would also visit my grandparents in Nebraska. There also very warm and giving people. They didn't judge me unless I needed to disciplined for being mischievous for pranks that included putting glue in my cousin's hair. She was not impressed."

"You are of two worlds, then?" Delora asked quietly as she continued to gather information about Johnny and his life.

"Yes..., I am. My parents never made it an issue as both cultures were welcomed. My father is Omaha and Plains Ojibwe and my mother is German. My grandparents were open people and accepted me for who I was... John Roderick Gage. I am thankful for my grandparents, I learned a lot from them." A small smile formed at the corners of his mouth as he remembered his grandparents, especially his grandmothers warmly. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly before continuing

"Both of my grandmothers had a wit and a way of looking at things. My one grandmother called it zeitgeist or something like that. That is how she looked at things, in the spirit of the times, as she tried to explain the negativity towards me and others. She accepted people for who they were. People couldn't see that the spirit of the time only allowed them to see one idea and not others. I've struggled to try and understand her comment for years," Johnny said distantly as he tried to put things into perspective.

Johnny paused and quietly considered the words of his grandmother. "However, people tend to forget the one and judge me for the other. Perhaps, that is what she is alluding to and I don't know it."

He sipped his tea absentmindedly before continuing as fought to keep his emotions in check. He glanced up at Delora who was quietly listening to what he was saying and not judging.

"My parents weren't indifferent to either culture, but I was taught to see the beauty of both. They protected me from the hate as much as they could and I'm thankful for that. But, it was at school where they could not protect me," Johnny said distantly as his mind visited the memories he would rather bury. "I was taunted as a kid by some people because of being Indian or a half-breed. I tried to absorb local customs to fit in different places as my dad traveled for his job and we moved around a bit. Some places were better than others. I didn't want to stoop to the level of those picking on me."

He paused and took another sip of tea before continuing, "The teasing from kids was one thing, but slights from adults would sometimes hurt, even if it is meant as a joke. It always bothered me how some people would mock the symbols that are sacred to me, my father, and grandfather, yet I ... would be looked down upon as mean, if I criticized them. So I'd just push it down and go on, even when it hurts. Roy is aware of one of our crew mates insulting the peace pipe. It really bothered me to see that, yet I resisted the urge to slam him for being Irish."

Delora studied Johnny carefully as she weighed the pieces of information he provided her. Sensing his hesitance and fear, she realized it was not easy for him to share with anyone. She understood the fear of being hurt on matters close to the heart. She could see the pain in his eyes as the owl revealed what was hidden behind the curtain.

"What you say **here** is safe with me," Delora sensed the unease growing in Johnny's eyes and his desire to run. She looked at him sternly and met his fear head on, as she reassured him that he was in a safe place to share. Watching carefully, she noticed that he began to relax a little. "I don't repeat things... That would be cruel."

Johnny relaxed when he saw the sincerity in her eyes. "Thank you."

"Your grandfather is guiding you John, trust his words. It's not an easy path that you walk and walking in two worlds can be difficult under the best of circumstances. The worlds are in constant conflict: the path of the white beliefs and ideals challenge what you have been taught traditionally. The wolf is a guardian and protector. He also invokes great wisdom and guidance."

She paused briefly before continuing as she continued to train her eyes on Johnny and his changing demeanor, "In your vision, your grandfather was protecting you from the arrows of the outside world and its poison. The child in your dream is you. You are a warm person, I can tell that because of your lop-sided grin," Delora replied warmly, "Your spirit is wounded and the child in you has been injured."

Johnny grinned and looked away as his face turned bright red from blushing at Delora's comment.

"I felt the most comfortable with a few close friends, my parents, and relatives who know me," Johnny said distantly as he shivered a little, "I'm uncomfortable letting people get too close. I don't want to get hurt. With that being said, I'm feeling a little naked at the moment."

"Because your mask is off, that's why," Delora said thoughtfully as she smoothed a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "The owl was showing you the hurts that are hidden behind the curtain. His message serves as a reminder that they are present. You can use them to grow or they hold can you back. He sees the attack on your heritage and the judgments made based on you being different and not on your character. I saw you put on a mask this morning, and I think Roy did also as he became very confused by your behavior."

"He noticed... Ummmm, he didn't say anything to you... did he?" Johnny asked fearfully as dread started to creep into his mind and into his eyes.

"No, I think he's waiting for you to speak, but from the look in his eyes, he is very concerned about you. I think he worries about you. He sees you as part of his family, a brother who is hurting." Delora said thoughtfully as she watched Johnny process what was being said. "It's possible that Red Wolf has noticed as he's a very intuitive person and also a good soul."

Johnny nodded absentmindedly as he tried to put his thoughts in order. In the back of his mind, it still did not explain the arrowhead.

"I noticed something else about you," Delora continued thoughtfully, "It was at the potluck last night during the confrontation in the bay between Steve Lehmann and Roland's men. You were protective of the children in the day room and you kept them from getting scared by being silly with them. The other women commented on this also. You have a way with young people. That is a gift that cannot always be taught and children sense that. I suspect that kid inside of you sometimes comes through."

Johnny looked at Delora quizzically after her remark about being good with kids. "Funny you say that, I hate doing tours at the station, yet in the field, they seem to be always drawn to me."

"When a child is hurting, they sense you're a calm person, a gentle soul," Delora said softly. "They feel safe in your presence."

"Now my crew mates at 51s, wouldn't call me that at times," Johnny mused nervously. "I've been called neurotic and impulsive at times, but when I'm in the field, it's all business."

"I guess that is the nature of family whether they are blood or not. I suspect Roy sees you as family in addition to his kids," Delora stated.

"Yeah... I'm their Uncle Johnny," Johnny said warmly.

"Embrace that," Delora responded. "They accept you for who you are. There is an old Cree saying about family: _"óma óta ka-mámawítisáníhitowak éyako ka-miyowatamak, ta-wicihitowak ékosi isi wítisánítiwin ka-miyowátakahk."_

Delora paused briefly before continuing, "Family is what keeps us happy! Being together, helping one another out is what family is all about. Even if your immediate family is small, accept those who are close to you and those you trust. Your grandfather will always be with you. Trust his voice and wisdom. It will guide you."

"You have a point but it doesn't explain the arrows that the wolf gave me," Johnny stated as he continued to process the information.

"The arrow has the heartache and the tears in it," Delora replied. "It captured the pain so you can heal. The tears are representative of the pain and the healing occurs when you let go. However, it can also serve as tool showing you how it feels to be hurt by others. It allows for stepping above that pain in your treatment of others. "

Johnny looked at Delora with interest and his eyes narrowed as he pondered what she was saying. "The arrows can have the poison yet carry away the pain of perceived wounds."

"Yes and it is how you choose to use it. You have a spirit that is giving and many are drawn to you. Embrace all that is good. It will take time for the pain to heal, but it is an opportunity to teach compassion to others."

Delora paused briefly before continuing, "Humility is probably the most difficult virtue to realize. Accept your faults and give thanks to yourself and others for what you accomplish."

"Interesting... that you say that because tonight reflected what you have just said," Johnny said distantly as he swirled the last of his tea in the bottom of his cup. He placed the cup on the table and after several moments, he carefully selected the words for what he wanted to say. He returned his gaze back to Delora. "I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"What do you mean?" Delora questioned as she watched Johnny's demeanor change and grow more distant and confused.

"Tonight, we responded to an explosion at the beet plant. The guys rescued four men and one of the men was Bill Lehmann. He was carried out by Tad and Red Wolf. I'm not sure if they knew who it was. If they knew who it was, did they do it based on ethics and part of their job or basic humanity?" Johnny said distantly as he reflected on the events of the night. "Sid and I treated him."

Delora was floored by Johnny's admission. In the back of her mind she had an understanding of what else happened and the feeling that went down her back earlier.

"How do you feel about it?" Delora asked.

"I don't know, I really don't," Johnny replied with a heavy sigh. "Part of me wanted to walk away and let him die...but, I knew I could not live with myself if I denied him medical treatment."

Johnny shifted on the couch before continuing, "I could tell that Sid was uncomfortable treating him. I would like to speak with Tad and Red Wolf to see how they feel about the rescue," Johnny stated as he tried to put his feelings surrounding the events into perspective."

"That is a challenging position to be in," Delora sighed heavily. It will be a difficult matter for you all to deal with. It could change dynamics at the station in ways no one expected."

"Yeah... I know. The change could be for the better or... for the worse," Johnny responded distantly. "That will be the big question."

Delora looked at the troubled expression on Johnny's face as she weighed the information he revealed about the rescue of Steve Lehmann's brother. It was a position she did not see as comfortable situation for any of them.

"Keep your friends and spirit animals close. The wolf's wisdom will guide you."

Delora carefully lit the sage and sweet grass in a small dish and allowed the items for smolder for several minutes before picking up the dish and feathers. She positioned herself in front of Johnny and he closed his eyes as she began to fan the smoke and scent from the sweet grass over him with an eagle feather. As she started to wave the pungent, sweet smell over him, she recited the following prayer to Johnny:

_"Mahti ka-wî-wîcêwikowisin"_ /

"May you be accompanied by the power to heal and grow. Respect the powers of the eagle and the wolf as they are always with you as they are your spiritual guardians. Heal the hurts of the past through humility and compassion. My Creator, let me have the insights of nature and give me the power of acceptance."

Meanwhile, the helicopter continued its journey in the dark Minnesota winter sky. Roy looked away briefly from Lehmann as he wondered about how Johnny was doing. His dreams and subsequent behavior weighed heavily in the back of his mind.

The haze of the city lights grew in the distance as the helicopter neared Minneapolis. The land was dotted with glows of light bathing quiet streets and highways as the helicopter passed over the suburbs. The city lights gave the sky a strange, warm glow and the stars faded. Within 15 minutes, the helicopter circled Hennepin County Medical Center as it took position to land on the helipad. Roy and Sid quickly assisted the two nurses in prepping Lehmann to be taken into the hospital. Lehmann was carefully packaged and his vitals checked before being transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center. After several minutes of circling, Andy was given the all-clear to set down on the helipad.

"Sid, Roy, we'll remain here for about 40 minutes before we fly back to Fargo," Andy chirped through the headset. "We need to refuel and the nurses to get done with their briefings in the burn unit."

Sid signaled to Roy to position himself near the door and help move Lehmann out of the helicopter. The doors quickly opened as Sid and Roy flew into action to assist the orderlies in moving Lehmann. The nurse, burn nurse followed close behind. The rotors quieted on the helicopter as the group rushed into the hospital with their patient. Additional orderlies from the burn unit arrived to take over from Sid and Roy. Lehmann was rushed to the burn unit by the orderlies. The two paramedics watched as Lehmann disappeared through the doors towards the burn unit.

Sid signaled to Roy to follow him to a small room near the helipad waiting area as they waited for Andy to refuel and the nurses to return. The two men entered the room filled with wooden furniture and avocado and gold colored upholstery on the couches. Sid walked over to the coffee pot and grabbed two cups filling them with coffee for him and Roy. He signaled to Roy to join him at the table as he carried the cups over and placed them on the table.

"Well, it's been an adventure-filled day in more ways than one," Sid snorted as sense of relief swept over him.

"Really?" Roy asked suspiciously as he sipped his coffee. "You mentioned something vaguely about Johnny earlier in the helicopter. Is everything okay?"

"He's good, I hope...," Roy sighed as he put down his cup.

"Well, after we left you at the hospital," Sid said nonchalantly. "We headed to Hawley in the ambulance to cover their ambulance which was out of order and had a run there. Well, we came to find out that the run involved Jens Aurness's wife, Ella, who went into labor and her mother would only allow Johnny to assist. Ella and her mother are not overly trusting of white medical people and I understand why. Jens and his wife, Ella, are proud parents of a little girl named Raya Skye. She's a cutie!"

"So Johnny played the stork today," Roy mused warmly as a wide grin spread across his face. "Pretty name for a little girl."

"Yep," Sid mused warmly as he swallowed his coffee. "Ella trusted Johnny because he is native. In addition, Red Wolf became an uncle. We even stopped by the station to inform Uncle Red Wolf about his new niece."

"Ahhhh..., Aron is a Aurness's brother-in-law, I take it." Roy replied as he placed together several puzzle pieces in their right place. "I'm happy for them and I wish them all the best.

Roy looked over at Sid and sensed that there was something more as there was a sense of unease on his face. He watched as Sid struggled with his emotions before speaking.

"I'm really not sure how to explain my feelings on this next bit of information. Sometime after we arrived at the hospital and went to the station to tell Aron about his niece, we got called out to an explosion at the beet plant. There were four rescues with three men being brought out alive and one deceased person from their injuries," Sid stated distantly as he stared at his coffee cup. Roy looked over at Sid and observed him becoming increasingly more serious. He had an uneasy feeling about what he was going to say and gestured for him to continue.

Sid's eyes met Roy's, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Bill Lehmann was one of the men rescued as you know. I briefly commented that he was brought out of the fire by Tad and Red Wolf," Sid continued. "Johnny helped treat his burns and wounds, in addition to removing what clothing he could from the burned areas. If any man, had a right to walk away from treating him, it would be Johnny but he didn't. He was uneasy about the situation, as I was, in treating him. I learned a lot watching in action."

Wiping his hands across his face, Sid paused before continuing, "If Steve Lehmann finds out that Tad and Red Wolf extracted his brother and Johnny worked on him, it could challenge the present dynamics at the station for better or worse."

Sid paused momentarily before continuing as he swirled the last bit of coffee in the bottom of his cup. "He stuffed his own feeling down and just treated him as a patient. That takes a lot of humility and compassion. I admire that."

Roy nodded quietly, keeping his thoughts to himself, as Sid divulged information about the explosion.

"Roy, you are lucky to have him as a partner. There are some guys out there who would love to have a partner of his caliber," Sid stated nodding his head approvingly.

"First, you're right…, Tad, Red Wolf and Johnny may have done something that no one else has done, challenge the dynamics at the department. Regarding Johnny, I'm glad I tapped him when I went back to field work." Roy said proudly as a smile spread across his face. "I think I'll keep him as a partner and a friend. Johnny was in the early paramedic training classes I taught. He trained as a paramedic before we were allowed to practice in the field."

"Sounds like you two have been through a lot as a team," Sid commented as he got a refill of coffee for both of them.

"Yeah..., we've crossed a few bridges, along with a few ups and downs over the years. We have both had our share of injuries on the job," Roy said thoughtfully as he sipped his coffee. "I've been electrocuted, trapped in a floor collapse, and had a few other scrapes and broken bones. However, Johnny has been bitten by a rattler, got a virus from a monkey, a few broken bones here and there, in addition to being ran over by a speeding car on a call.

"And... he is still... walking?" Sid asked incredulously as he tried to wrap his mind around what Roy was saying.

"Yep..., he does seem pretty resilient," Roy said in amazement as he reflected on Johnny being able to bounce back from things. "The only thing he has not been able to do is beat Chet at his own game."

"Who's Chet?" Sid asked as he tried to figure out where Roy's tale was going.

"Chet Kelly, or 'the Phantom', as he is better known as at our station likes to pull practical jokes. His primary target tends to be Johnny or his pigeon as Chet calls him. They tend to egg each other on about one thing or another and sometimes, their antics drive everyone else nuts at the station," Roy mused playfully. "Johnny has tried to outdo him more than once including leaving Annie the mannequin in Chet's car on several occasions. I do have to say one thing, Chet is good for starting fires at the station along with blowing up TV sets."

"Television sets?" Sid asked in amazement as he created the image in his mind.

"Yeah... Chet and Johnny were repairing the TV set in the station's day room and a fire started from crossed wires in the set," Roy responded. "Another time, Chet set a pair of skies on fire in the locker room."

"You're talking about Chet, correct?" Sid asked. "Remind me to keep my skies away from him."

"Yep," Roy chuckled as he watched Sid's reaction to the tales.

Sid shook his head at the tale as he tried to envision the mischief that ensued. "The most amusing situation that I've had was rescuing Jake, my ambulance partner, from a supply room. He managed to get trapped in the supply room with a particular female nurse. It was quite the sight to see them sitting on a gurney sharing a passionate kiss and he could not keep his hands off of her." Sid offered as a sly smile spread across his face. "He is quite the Casanova and I have had to keep a close eye on him every since.

Roy shook his head in amusement as he tried to control his laughter. Deep down he knew he had to tell share this tale with Johnny.

Sid took in Roy's reaction before continuing gleefully, "I had been looking for him for over an hour that day until I rounded the corner and could hear pleas for help coming from the supply room. The young woman was sobbing and Jake looked lost and confused after I saw him kissing her. It was quite the sight. The gurney in the supply room created a very interesting image."

"Amazing," Roy mused as he shook his head. "Don't recall Johnny having any incidents like that but he does enjoy chatting with a pretty girl or getting a date with a pretty nurse." For a moment, he considered sharing the girdle or cactus caper but decided against it."

"So Roy..., any misadventures involving you, we need to know about?" Sid asked playfully as he sipped his coffee.

"No…., No…., I'm one of the quiet ones," Roy offered innocently. "Mike, Marco, and I tend to stay on the straight and narrow. We leave the mischief and antics up to Johnny and Chet. It is never a dull moment with those two."

Sid filed away Roy's comment regarding his innocence to question Johnny about later. In the back of his mind, he could not help but think that there was more to Roy DeSoto than he was letting on.

Before he could ask another question his handie talkie started to chirp. Grabbing it from his belt, he suppressed the button to respond.

"Allmaras, go ahead,"

_"Hey Sid, We're ready to fly back to Fargo," Andy chirped gleefully into the radio. "If you two ladies... errrr gentlemen are done with your coffee klatch, we're waiting for you on the helipad."_

"Comin' you smartass!" Sid snorted back in the playful disgust. "We're on our way and we'll soon get to see your beautiful smile, Andrea!"

_"That's Andreas to you!" Andy snorted back."Careful Sigmund! I'll tell your evil twin on you!"_

"Just you wait…, smartass! You'll get a snowball for that remark." Sid retorted in playful disgust as he responded to Andy's cackling.

Roy mused at the playful exchange between Sid and Andy. Sid signaled to Roy that they were ready to head out to the helipad. Roy quickly zippered up his flight suit and followed Sid out the door. He placed the coffee cups on the counter as he left the room.

Roy followed Sid onto the helipad and both men crouched low as they approached the side of the helicopter as the blades were rotating. They scrambled into the bay of the helicopter and belted themselves in for the flight back to Fargo. It was a quiet flight as both men were lost in thought about the events of the day. The long day was beginning to take its toll on both of them as they struggled against sleepiness with stifled yawns.

As the helicopter neared Fargo, Andy prepared to land at the hospital. Roy let out a yawn and tried to shake off sleep that was creeping up on him as the helicopter landed. The foursome scrambled out of the helicopter and headed into the hospital. Once the blades quit rotating and the engines were cut, Andy joined them.

As the group entered the hospital, Sid and Roy were met by Captain Ericsson. "Sid, Roy glad to see that you guys made it back in one piece. Sid, I'll drop you off at the station." Ericsson said warmly. "Ahh Sid, I informed Jake, Tad, and Red Wolf that there's a meeting at my house at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon regarding the rescues tonight.

"Thanks for the heads up, I'll be there," Sid replied tiredly."I'm going to do the ambulance logs from today's runs and crash at the station."

"Sounds good Sid, I alerted Captain Haakenson to the possibility," Ericsson replied.

Roy bid good night to Andy and thanked him for allowing to fly along. "Thanks Andy, I appreciated the opportunity to fly along."

"You're welcome Roy, it was my pleasure," Andy replied warmly. "Have a good night."

The men departed and left Andy at the hospital. Roy yawned again as they headed out to Captain Ericsson's car. Sid climbed into the backseat and Roy crawled in on the passenger side. Both men let out a weary sigh in lieu of the evening's events. Ericsson looked at both men and he could see the weariness etched on their faces.

"I almost forgot, what time is the radio interview?" Sid asked. "I'll try and tune in. I'll let the other guys know."

"10 a.m.," Ericsson responded warmly. "Larry is looking forward to meeting John and Roy."

"Have fun guys!" Sid said warmly as the captain pulled up to the station. "See ya at 2:00 p.m.!"

"Night Sid," Roy called out from the car as he watched Sid head towards the station door.

Roy rested his eyes as Ericsson pulled out of the station parking lot and headed towards his house. "You look worn out, Roy," Ericsson commented as looked over at Roy.

"I'm bushed and ready for bed." Roy replied tiredly. "It's been a long day! With that being said, it has also been a good day. It's been interesting and eventful. It should be fun to explain Fankhanel's and Spook to the guys next week. Can't believe the amount of candy we brought back."

Captain Ericsson mused to himself at the amount of candy sitting on his office chair and nodded in agreement to Roy's comment as the pulled into the driveway.

"Tomorrow is a more low-key day and you guys can rest a little." Ericsson commented as they got out of the car. "The crew has the day off."

Roy and Ericsson carefully made their way into the quiet house and tried not to wake anyone. The clock on the kitchen wall showed 1:00 a.m., in the uneasy silence. Roy had a sense that something went down but he could not put his finger on it. The house had a scent in the air he didn't recognize. He bid Captain Ericsson good night and headed down to his room. Slipping his boots off, he tiptoed into the room quietly and noted that Johnny was asleep with his arm across his face and his hair in every direction.

Deep down he hoped Johnny was able to find some sort of peace and find some of the old Johnny he was used to seeing. He only wished he knew what he could say or do to help his friend and partner. Rubbing his hands across his weary face, he crawled into bed and bid Johnny good night.

"Night Johnny, I'm here if you need a friend," Roy whispered softly as he burrowed under the covers.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**[Author's Note: Portions of this chapter talking about wildfires were written before June 30 and the loss of 19 brave firefighters near Prescott, AZ in the Yarnell blaze.]**

Johnny looked over at the clock and the red digital numbers showed 5:30 a.m., and he sensed it was too early to get up. Looking towards the other side of the room, he could see the faint outline of Roy sleeping on his side. He wanted to talk to him but vaguely remembered Roy coming into the room after 1:00 a.m., and decided to let him sleep. He turned and faced the wall as he replayed what Delora said.

The battle in his mind challenged the concept of compassion by countering it with anger and bitterness. His mind explored various pieces of information as he processed what Delora said in relation to his dream. He struggled internally in trusting himself to share with Roy regarding his past. He debated with how much he should reveal about the bullying he endured as a kid and the shame he believed was in him. He valued and treasured Roy's family and loved Roy's kids as if they were his own.

Johnny was uncertain how long he laid awake before he heard activity upstairs. He chuckled to himself when he heard the muffled protests about getting ready for school. He recalled days when he was not particularly excited about school either. Propping himself up on his elbow in bed, he listened to the activity upstairs with amusement. Smiling, he remembered his mother and aunts rousting him and his cousins out of bed on more than one occasion on a school day.

A grin spread across his face as he heard someone running down the stairs and gentle admonishment to keep it down as the guests were still sleeping. It soon dawned him when he remembered that the kids were sleeping over at friends and surmised that the noisemaker had to be Sandi. Musing to himself, _"You are a lively one, aren't you, Miss Alessandra Dauphinais?"_

As Johnny listened to the movement upstairs, he grew more restless lying in bed. After a period of time, Johnny finally decided to get up and shower as he could no longer sleep. Looking over at the clock, he noticed that its red digital face read 6:45 am. He glanced over at Roy and resisted the urge to wake him up. He decided to let Roy sleep and slipped from the room after he dressed.

He headed towards the dining room and was pleasantly surprised to see Alessandra and Delora sitting at the dining room table. "Good morning ladies," Johnny said politely as his eyes met Sandi's. "The other kids will be down soon, I take it."

"Noooo..., they're over at their friends houses for a sleepover." Sandi said warmly as she looked at Johnny with smiling eyes.

"Ahhh...I forgot ...So, it was **you... **Miss Dauphinais, who was protesting this morning," Johnny teased as a sly crooked smile spread across his face.

"I hate doing speeches and I was running through one for class," Sandi said. "Sorry..., I didn't mean to wake you."

"No worries...I've been awake for awhile," Johnny replied as he sipped tea from the cup Delora handed him. "Roy's still sleeping. I suspect Roland and him got in pretty late. I vaguely remember Roy coming into the room last night."

"I see...," Sandi said mischievously as a smile spread across her face. "So..., you thought you would come and chat with Tante and me."

Johnny looked at Sandi as he shook his head smiling. He was growing increasingly intrigued by her deep brown eyes and lively personality. His soul battled to keep her from getting under his skin, her spirit was pesky and it seemed to needle him a way he never knew. Deep down, he knew once he left Fargo, his chances for seeing her again were slim to none. He did not want to get hurt and thought to himself why he could not meet women in LA that had the same spirit. She was a force he had never dealt with before and doubt he ever would again.

"And... why wouldn't I want to speak with a lovely lady," Johnny flirted as he sipped his tea.

Delora stood back in the kitchen and observed the dynamics between Johnny and her niece. She was intrigued by how the two seemed comfortable with one another and it was something she had not seen before regarding her niece. Looking at the clock, she soon realized that Sandi had to leave for school.

"Sandi, you need to get going," Delora informed her niece of the time as she hated to disrupt the conversation between Sandi and Johnny. In her eyes, the conversation between the two young people before her was of respect and that was not something she always saw in the men Sandi interacted with at the station or in public.

"Can we chat later, Johnny?" Sandi asked as she looked at her watch.

"Sure can...," Johnny chirped as a smile spread across his face. He watched her closely as she got up from the table grabbing her coat and book bag as she headed off to class. "Good luck on your speech today."

"Thanks Johnny," Sandi responded appreciatively, smiling back at Johnny as she started to head out the door.

Delora watched out the kitchen window as Sandi pulled out of the driveway. In the back of her mind, she entertained the possibility that her niece could be attracted the dark-haired, young man sitting at her dining room table. She sensed a certain peace between the two young people.

Turning around from the window, she faced Johnny. "I see you're doing better this morning...," Delora said warmly. "I'm also glad to see that you and Sandi get along as well. She's a spirited person."

Johnny was lost in thought and vaguely heard Delora speaking to him. "That she is...," Johnny replied absentmindedly as he tried to find a way to keep Sandi's spirit from invading his soul. A different place and time, he would have welcomed it, but he knew their meeting would be fleeting, because he was leaving in a few days. He chastised himself as he was beginning to fall for her, _"Damn...why now..., I honestly would love to get to know you, Alessandra...but I know it can never be."_

"Earth to John," Delora teased playfully as she watched him drift into deep thought. Delora struggled to keep her giggling under control as she did not want to embarrass him.

"Huh...What?" Johnny stammered as he grinned and blushed in embarrassment at Delora who was giggling at him. "Sorry."

"No apologies needed," Delora replied with a knowing smile. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"A little better..., still struggling with some of the things we discussed last night," Johnny said distantly. "Thank you for listening."

"You're welcome. It'll take time and that's understandable. Ummm, I'd also give Roy a chance, he does care about you," Delora said kindly. "To change the subject, glad to see that you and Sandi hit it off."

Johnny thought quietly for a moment when Delora mentioned Roy. He knew Roy was a loyal friend. Deep down in his soul, the challenge was trusting that friendship on matters that were close to his heart. He nodded absentmindedly to Delora's words before commenting about Sandi.

"She's a remarkable woman from the little I've talked to her," Johnny said thoughtfully. "Just don't want to get involved or have my heart wounded when I leave in a few days. She's infectious."

Johnny paused briefly as a small smile formed at the corner of his mouth. "I... don't know what to say... I just wish that the time and place were different. I really enjoy talking with her. She's different from other women I have met over the years. Once I return to LA, we won't be able to talk to each other."

"Don't underestimate her, John," Delora said as she sipped her tea. "She is looking at going to graduate school in southern California."

"She's someone I'd like to get to know," Johnny responded quietly as he swirled the tea in the bottom of his cup.

As Johnny and Delora talked, he was unaware of Roy joining them at the table. By their demeanor, Roy suspected he knew, what they were talking about and on some level, he had to agree with Johnny that it would not be wise to get involved with a woman in Fargo. He sensed the conversation with Delora was about Johnny's growing affection for Sandi. Deep down, he knew Johnny had met his match, even if it was fleeting.

Johnny was startled when he looked up and noticed Roy sitting at the table across from him, "Ummmm... mornin', Roy... Did you get your beauty sleep?" Johnny teased as Delora got up from the table to get Roy a cup of tea.

"I'm lookin' as beautiful as ever, Virginia," Roy teased back seated at the dining room table. "And ready to face the day."

Delora chuckled at the two friends teasing each other. "On that note, I'll go and check on the other sleeping beauty." Delora said warmly as she placed a pot of tea on the table for Johnny and Roy, then left the room to check on Roland.

"How are you this morning?" Roy asked as he sipped his tea. "I was informed by Sid last night that you got play the stork yesterday on a run."

Johnny grinned shyly at Roy's stork reference. "Yeah... I did... I do have to say Raya is a little cutie. Ella and Jens Aurness have a beautiful daughter," Johnny said quietly and his eyes glistened. "I'm doing okay, still struggling with some things."

"I can understand that," Roy said thoughtfully as he took another sip from his cup. "The rescues last night?"

Roy wanted to ask about the dream that Johnny had the other night, but felt it was Johnny's place to share and left it at that. "I'm here if you need an ear, Johnny." At that point, Roy decided to change topics and not pressure Johnny. "Are you ready for the radio interview this morning?"

"I forgot about that interview today!" Johnny remembered in a voice etched in surprise. "I've never done a radio interview before. Huh...This trip is proving to be filled with surprises and new experiences, one thing after another. Ahh... before I forget, I gave Sandi and the kids each peppermint sticks from the both of us."

Johnny drank the last of the tea in his cup before continuing, "Can we talk later, Roy?"

"I'll hold you to that, partner," Roy commented as he continued to be worried about his friend. He could still see the pain in his friend's eyes and wished there was a way he could help him. "We can talk after the meeting this afternoon. Also, thanks for reminding me about the candy for the Ericsson kids."

"Meeting?" Johnny questioned as he looked at Roy with a raised eyebrow seeking more information about what he just said.

"Apparently, it's about the rescue and the events that occurred last night. It's at 2:00 p.m. here at the house with Jake, Sid, Tad, Red Wolf and Ericsson."

"Really..., didn't know that," Johnny replied as he came to the realization about the nature of the meeting. He let out a long sigh before continuing, "I'm glad that Tad and Red Wolf will get a chance to deal with it before any one questions them about the rescues. Haakenson was pressing both Jake and I for details last night, while we were at the station to leave the ambulance for a crew change."

"I agree," Roy stated nodding affirmatively. "They deserve that right to discuss their feelings first. The ramifications from the rescues could pose a significant challenge to the dynamics at the station and... the department, in ways no one anticipated."

"You're right, Roy," Johnny said distantly as he raised his cup to his lips. "Last night could have long-ranging effects in ways none of us see right now."

"It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out," Roy responded thoughtfully. He thought pensively before speaking, "Ahhh Johnny, I think it would be wise if held back a little, as this is not our department."

Johnny nodded at Roy's comment. "Yeah, You're right... Not sure how Captain Stanley or Chief Houts would react to this and if they knew what the implications would be for all of us."

"I think they would be upset if we got too involved in the politics here. Then again, we're already involved," Roy surmised. "I think the less they know about the rescues and racial implications, the better. I would be okay on some levels with Captain Stanley knowing what happened, but not Chief Houts."

"That's a valid point, Roy," Johnny ceded as he nodded in agreement with Roy's comments. "Though, I will say that I was not exactly comfortable dealing with him.

"Nor was I, but we're both professionals and we have standards to work by and it often requires pushing our own feelings aside for the sake of the patient," Roy offered distantly. "Sid made a comment last night about you. He was impressed with your professionalism and humility."

Before Roy could comment further, they were joined in the dining room by Roland as he pulled a chair from the table and Delora disappeared into the kitchen to start breakfast. Johnny could tell that Roy wanted to say something else but held back due to their arrival in the dining room. Roy nodded imperceptibly that they should table their discussion until later and Johnny quietly acknowledged Roy's gesture.

"Good morning John, Roy," Roland said sleepily as he sat down at the table, rubbing the sleep from his face. Delora placed a fresh pot of tea on the table and started to prepare breakfast for the three men. The kitchen was soon filled with clanging pans and the sound of sizzling sausage. Delora looked out from the kitchen toward the three men seated at the table and wondered to herself what would go down at the meeting this afternoon.

"Good morning Roland," both men chorused.

"So what are we to expect for the radio interview today?" Johnny asked as he tried to visualize what would happen.

Roy caught Johnny's gesture to change the subject. Roy acknowledged the action as a ploy, that would not allude to the discussion they were having before Roland and Delora arrived in the dining room.

"The interview will be in the studio at KFGO during Larry Rustebakke's show. You'll both have headsets on and speak into a microphone. The interview will last about 15 minutes or so with about 15 minutes or so of call-ins from listeners with questions. It could go possibly longer if there are a lot of callers," Roland commented between bites of scrambled eggs. "The interview is pretty relaxed and straightforward."

"What are the nature of the calls that come into the station?" Roy asked has munched on a piece of toast.

"I know Larry plans on asking a few question about firefighting in Los Angeles County and the paramedic program," Roland stated as he sipped his orange juice. "The calls... well... they can really run the gamut ranging from the topic at hand to what your favorite sports team is and everything else in between."

"So an in-depth discussion about the wonders of the Los Angeles Rams might not be wise in this area," Johnny teased as a sly grin spread across his face. "Dodgers?"

"Probably not, this area bleeds purple," Roland chuckled. "Now the Dodgers could be entertaining...however, it is Twins country up here."

Johnny grinned at Roland because he knew he was at a standstill in persuading Roland to change his allegiance from a being a Vikings fan to becoming a Rams fan. "At least, I'm not a Raiders fan."

"Johnny, give up while you're ahead," Roy chided playfully shaking his head at Johnny's dogged persistence to convert and recruit new Rams fans.

"Roy, you never know, there just might be Rams fan who'll call in that I can commiserate with," Johnny mused in defense of being a Rams fan.

"Johnny, you're something else," Roy laughed as he shook his head. "Once you're on a kick, you really are stuck on it."

"Well... you never know, there might some lonesome Rams fans up here," Johnny offered in his defense of the Rams.

Delora grabbed the ringing phone and gestured to Roland that the call was for him. Roland took the call and Delora began clearing breakfast dishes from the table as Johnny and Roy continued their debate about the Rams. She mused at Johnny's dogged determination to hold on to the pride he had for the Los Angeles Rams.

Roy looked over at Delora with a bemused expression and tried to keep his laughter in check. Deep down, he knew it was a ruse for Johnny to protect himself and he could still see that Johnny was still hurting. Part of him was relieved that his friend was having a laugh about sports, particularly about his beloved Rams.

Roland finished his phone call and returned to the table. "Well gentlemen, it appears we need to fit in another interview in today also. The Fargo Forum will be interviewing you both at the fire station at 11:45 a.m.," Roland commented as he stretched his arms. "It'll be an action packed morning, to say the least."

"Roy, good thing you got your beauty sleep last night," Johnny teased as he gestured to him with his glass of milk.

Roy shook his head and chuckled. "Well...did you get yours?" Roy remanded.

"Yep," Johnny chirped happily. Johnny looked at his watched before speaking. "I suspect we're heading out in about 45 minutes.

"Yeah, in about 30 minutes or so," Roland replied. "It will allow us some time to get to the station and get settled in the studio before the show."

"Roy, do you think we should wear the sweatshirts or the pull-overs for the newspaper interviews?" Johnny asked.

"Probably the pull-overs," Roy surmised teasingly, "We don't want people thinking we didn't bring any clothes."

"Ha Ha!" Johnny smirked back with sideways glance.

Roland and Delora shook their heads at the playful rapport between Johnny and Roy. The foursome talked for a little longer before Roland gestured that they needed to get ready to leave for the radio station. Johnny slipped back to the room to put on his navy pull-over, along with grabbing his and Roy's winter gear while Roland and Roy talked. After a few minutes, Johnny returned to the dining room with their coats. Roy grabbed his coat from Johnny's hand and slipped it on.

As Johnny and Roy finished getting ready, Roland headed out to the garage to start the car and allow it to warm up. The car groaned at the idea of starting in the cold and protested briefly. Johnny and Roy quickly crawled into the car as the garage door rose and a white fog drifted in front of the door. Roland pulled out of the garage and he pointed the car in the direction of the radio station.

The sky was clear as white arrows permeated the world by running across the street. The wind added an additional chill to the air and penetrated the soul. The car made its way through streets littered with ice ribbons and soon turned onto 25th street. As the car pulled into the parking lot at KFGO, Johnny chuckled at a nearby billboard promoting North Dakota tourism.

"Hey Roy!.. I think the billboard is right, the mountain removal project was successful... It's flat!" Johnny mused as he pointed in the direction of the billboard.

"I think you might be right, Johnny!" Roy mused as he started to get out of the car. "It's flat!"

The three men quickly made their way into the station to escape the cold south wind that was nipping at their nose and ears. As they entered the lobby, country music could be heard wafting through the lobby. Johnny mused to himself as Emmylou Harris' latest song was being touted as a hot new hit by the disc jockey.

Captain Ericsson stopped at the brown and tan receptionist desk that was decorated with cows and trucks running beneath the edge of the desk. Ericsson waited until she got off the phone, then spoke with the blonde-haired woman behind the desk, informing her that they were here for Larry's show. The young woman smiled and made a call to the studio to inform Larry's producer that the guests had arrived. After several minutes, they were greeted by Larry's producer, Danny Jacobson, who came into the lobby and exchanged a few words with Captain Ericsson as Johnny and Roy waited nearby, sitting on horn backed chairs in the lobby.

The lobby was decorated with the logo of the station amid the array of pictures of station personalities and country music artists. The lobby had a western style carpet with Native American geometric designs woven into the weave of the rug. The furniture was wood with horns for the back and arm rests completed the western decor. One wall displayed photographs of prairie sunsets and farm implements. A giant plastic Hereford bull with a cowbell and hat stood in one corner surrounded by a shock of wheat, sunflowers, a stuffed brown dog, and chickens. Flags for the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Vikings hung above it. A poster promoting a show called _Polka Party_ hung near the door with pictures of Lawrence Welk, Myron Floren, and the Six Fat Dutchman.

Roy elbowed Johnny who was trying to make small talk with the receptionist as a man approached them. Jacobson came over and talked with Johnny and Roy for several minutes and soon left the room. When Jacobson left the room, Ericsson walked over and sat in a chair near Johnny and Roy.

"Interesting decor," Johnny commented as he struggled to keep a straight face.

Ericsson grinned at Johnny's remark, "Yeah, it's a bit out there."

After several minutes had passed, Jacobson returned to the lobby and beckoned the three men to follow him to the studio. The three men got up from the chairs in the lobby followed Jacobson down the hall to a large room at the end of a hallway.

They entered a large room with egg crate foam on the walls and a large table in the middle of the room. In the corner of the room was smaller room that housed the engineer and additional sound boards and controls. Above the crescent shaped table was an array of microphones, electronic gear, and cords above the table that gave the appearance of a spider in a giant web. Johnny and Roy sat across from the center of the table that had a sound board and switching equipment.

Jacobson instructed the men to put on the headsets in order to do a sound check for the interview. Jacobson signaled Johnny to speak first into the microphone in front of him to set levels. The producer waited for the signal from the engineer that Johnny's mic was ready. The signal was then given to Roy to speak into the mic by Jacobson and the engineer proceeded to set the audio levels for Roy.

The activity in the studio was soon joined by a balding, jovial male who entered the room and spoke briefly with the Jacobson and Captain Ericsson. The two men shared a laugh and a handshake before Ericsson walked over to the table. He sat down at the mic to Roy's left and slipped on his headset. The threesome were soon joined by the Jacobson and the balding older gentleman.

Johnny watched the activity with great interest because he had never been inside a radio studio before. Johnny looked over at Roy and grinned as the headphones atop his friend's head provided a point of amusement.

"Ummmm Roy, these could come in handy back at the station," Johnny mused. He did not dare say what he was thinking to Roy because the headset made him look like an alien from a movie or _Star Trek_. With that in mind, he selected his thoughts carefully before speaking.

"I was thinking the same thing... peace and quiet when you and Chet start up," Roy mused playfully as a wide grin spread across his face. "Bet Cap would even approve."

"HA! HA! You're too funny for your own good this morning, Roy!" Johnny snorted back with a facetious grin. Their banter back and forth was interrupted when the bald-headed man approached the paramedics.

"John, Roy... It is a pleasure to meet you both. I'm Larry Rustebakke," Larry said politely interrupting the playful banter between Johnny and Roy. Both men looked up to acknowledge Rustebakke's greeting.

"Nice to meet you Larry," Roy said enthusiastically as responded to Larry's greeting and leaned forward to shake Larry's hand. "I'm Roy DeSoto and this is my partner, John Gage.

Johnny leaned forward and shook Larry's hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet both of you guys," Larry said warmly, "I've heard a lot of great things about both of you.

"It's our pleasure to be here," Johnny said with a lop-sided grin. "Doing a radio interview is a new adventure for me!"

"Lookin' forward to it," Roy quipped.

"It's pretty painless," Larry mused. "I'll ask a few question on firefighting and the paramedic program. Perhaps a few questions on the LA area and then we'll open it up for calls from the listeners. We'll start in about five minutes after a CBS news brief at the top of the hour and the weather."

Johnny and Roy acknowledged Larry's words and observed people scurrying around the studio doing last minute audio checks, checking notes, and making sure advertising tapes were properly cued. The engineer also completed lining up different songs for buffer music for several spots in the show. They both sipped water to clear their throats and quell their nerves. Roy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he collected his thoughts.

As the Dolly Parton song, _Jolene_, ended, Jacobson counted down the seconds to the CBS news brief and a few minutes later, the weather reporter was signaled by Jacobson to start his report. Ericsson furrowed his eyebrows when the reporter mentioned the possibility of a winter storm moving into the area from Colorado and Wyoming on Thursday. Roy looked over and caught Ericsson's reaction to the weather report. The idea of experiencing a winter storm was something he was uncertain about. He was aware of them, but never experienced a winter storm.

Jacobson put up his hand up in the air and signaled to Larry and they were about to begin the show. Larry acknowledged Jacobson and cleared his throat and took a sip of water from a glass near his microphone.

Jacobson quickly cued the engineer to play the buffer music and station ID. The music had a twangy, folksy feel to its rhythm. _"Thundering across the Red River Valley from its home at the Mighty 790 KFGO... 'Uncle' Larry Rustebakke brings new and interesting conversation to your radio dial. Now here's Larry." _Jacobson signaled to Rustebakke to being his monologue.

"Good morning from Fargo and the studios of KFGO on this cold winter's day. I am pleased to introduce my guests for the first part of the show. It is always a pleasure to have Captain Roland Ericsson of the Fargo Fire Department drop by for a visit. This time he has brought along a couple of friends from California. They are Firefighter-paramedics, Roy DeSoto and John Gage, who are part of an exchange program between North Dakota Fire and Rescue Departments and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. If you would like to speak to guests in a bit please call 701-237-0000."

"Good Morning!" the three men chorused back in the microphones.

"Captain Ericsson, nice to see you again. What can you tell me about this exchange program and how these two gentlemen ended up here in Fargo from Los Angeles?" Larry asked

"Good morning Larry..., It is nice to chat with you again," Ericsson said pleasntly. "North Dakota Fire and Rescue Departments and the Los Angeles County Fire Department view this exchange as a way to learn from each other. We learned about three weeks ago that Fargo was added to the exchange. I found out at that time that Gage and DeSoto were coming to Fargo."

"When did they arrive?"

"They arrived this past Sunday for one week and they've been busy riding the rigs, interacting with my members of my crew, and watching how we do things." Ericsson answered. "Its been quite an experience working with these gentlemen."

Johnny and Roy nodded appreciatively at Ericsson's words as the feeling was mutual.

"So this is an opportunity to learn new ideas?" Larry inquired.

"Very much so... and we have learned some things from them. Hopefully John and Roy have learned some things as well," Ericsson offered.

"John, Roy... welcome to Fargo. It's good to see that you're not frozen yet," Larry teased. "Tell me a little about yourselves and your role at the Los Angeles County Fire Department. How did you both become paramedics?"

The three men chuckled at the remark about Johnny and Roy not freezing. Roy mused to himself as he considered it rather amazing that neither of them had gotten frostbite yet. Johnny gestured to Roy to go ahead first and speak. Roy gave him a sideways glance and started speaking.

"Well both John and I trained initially as firefighters for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. I joined the department after a stint was a medic in the army," Roy commented.

Roy took a deep breath before continuing, "Several doctors in the county wanted to work at putting medical providers in the field, with the goal of providing care to people who were sick or injured at the scene. The paramedics render medical attention under the direction of doctors at a base hospital. I was in one of the first classes that trained paramedics before we could legally practice in the field. Los Angeles County Fire Department had one of the first paramedic programs in the country along with Miami, Seattle, and Columbus, Ohio," Roy stated.

"So you weren't allowed to practice initially?" Larry questioned.

"No... we weren't able to initially. We had to wait for the law to change so we could practice in California. It was a challenge to get the law changed as no one had heard of a paramedic nor really understood their role in emergency medicine. It should be noted that only select people are trained as paramedics."

Roy paused briefly before continuing, "During this time, I was able to work as an instructor, and John Gage was in one of the first classes taught in 1971. There were only a handful of us at the time and a few doctors connected to the paramedic program in a county of 6.5 million people. Now..., it's spreading across the country and no two programs are the same due to needs and resources of a particular area," Roy stated thoughtfully.

"John, how did you get involved with the program?" Larry asked.

"It was during a rescue of an electrocution victim from a high voltage power line that I wish there was more that could have been done to help the person. I initially trained as a rescue man and was persuaded by Roy that a paramedic was a step in the right direction to helping people who were injured or sick," Johnny stated.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly collecting his thoughts before continuing. "I was recruited by Roy to become a paramedic and he was one of the instructors in a 12-week course at Rampart General Hospital in Carson under the tutelage of Doctors Kelly Bracket and Joe Early, along with nurse Dixie McCall. When Roy went back to fieldwork, he tapped me as his partner at Station 51 and the rest is history."

"So... you both have been working together as a team since 1971?" Larry queried.

"Yes, at Station 51 in Carson," Johnny responded. "We've seen the program grow and evolve through the years. Technology and treatment of some injuries has changed also. We've also seen people inspired to take CPR and first aid classes through educating people about EMTs and paramedics."

"Johnny's right... we're even starting to see women train as paramedics. San Francisco has several female paramedics right now as we speak," Roy interjected.

"We were in Santa Rosa County in central California last year where we met a sheriff who was interested in developing a network of EMTs and equipment distribution in a rural county with rugged terrain to aid in helping patients. It shows the potential of providing services based on need and seeing that help gets to where it's needed in a timely manner," Johnny stated.

Jacobson signaled Larry that a break was needed for commercials and the news. "Gentlemen, we need to take a commercial break and we'll be back for more discussion and calls from our listeners," Larry commented.

Jacobson signaled the engineer in the sound booth to play the commercials and cut away for a local news brief and farm updates. Roy took a sip of water and swallowed before he leaned over towards Johnny.

"Nice job pardner," Roy said as he grinned at his old friend.

"Thanks Roy! You're not doing to bad either!" Johnny grinned back.

"Well gentlemen, we have a lot of calls and we'll address them when we go back on the air,' Larry said as he took a sip of water. Jacobson walked up and handed Larry a note. A broad grin spread across his face when he saw what the note entailed. Larry leaned over to show Ericsson and both men nodded approvingly at the nature of the note. Johnny and Roy watched them with great amusement and suspicion as they both wondered what was going on between Rustebakke and Ericsson.

The news brief played along with several commercials promoting a farm implement dealership and a new store opening at the mall. As the commercials came to an end, Jacobson signaled Larry with a countdown that they were about to return to the airwaves after the commercial and news break.

"Welcome back to the show and my guests today are Captain Roland Ericsson of the Fargo Fire Department and visiting firefighter-paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, John Gage and Roy DeSoto," Larry commented as they went back on the air. "Due to the volume of calls that have already come in for our guests, we'll turn the show over to the callers. Are you ready gentlemen?"

"Bring it on...," Johnny encouraged as he looked over at the other three men seated at the table.

"Yep," chorused Roy and Ericsson.

"Our first caller, please go ahead and tell us where you're calling from..," Larry stated as he pressed the button on the sound board in front of him.

Noise and jostling could be heard as chairs scraped the floor, in addition to voices clearing in the background. After the commotion quieted, a voice came across on the line.

_"Hello, this is Captain Hank Stanley in Los Angeles County at Station 51 in Carson."_

"Hey Cap!" Johnny and Roy chorused back gleefully as large smiles spread across their faces.

"Cap, we haven't froze up here ... yet!" Roy offered. Snickers could be heard in the background in reference to Roy's remark about freezing.

"Umm... Cap, how did you know about the show today?" Johnny asked incredulously as he shook off his surprise at hearing Captain Stanley on the phone.

_"Stoker's cousin," Captain Stanley replied. "He called Mike last night to let him know about the show after he heard a promo that you guys would be on. So..., we decided to call-in. Johnson and Hjelmstad are doing well and enjoying the reprieve from the cold weather. They're on a run, so they're missing out on the fun. We do have one question, What is Uff-da?"_

"To answer your question, Captain Stanley, uff-da is a colorful euphemism that can be used a compliment or to signal a large project. It is sometimes used as as substitute for common swear words," Ericsson offered. "It is commonly used up here."

_"Ahhhh, that is what it means,"_ The men at 51 chorused back over the phone.

"Stoker stumped Spook...," Johnny smirked. "I thought it would never happen."

"Spook will never be able to live this down," Ericsson quipped as a grin spread across his face.

The phone was passed around in Captain Stanley's office and Johnny and Roy "chatted with each one for a few moments. _"Hey Gage! Enjoy your stay," Chet crowed over the phone. "Who's Spook?"_

''Chet, Spook is an entity and a force that can't be explained," Roy quipped. "Only experienced."

"You're correct on that that point, Roy," Ericsson mused as a grin spread across his face. "Explanations don't work regarding Spook."

Captain Stanley came back on the phone to sign off_, "Well..., we'll see you guys next week. Have fun and stay safe." _

"Nice talking to you guys," Johnny grinned. "See ya next week."

Larry ended the call when Captain Stanley hung up. "John and Roy, sounds like you work with a lively bunch." Larry mused.

"They're a good group of guys to work with," Johnny offered warmly.

Larry pressed another button on the flashing soundboard, "Caller, go ahead."

_"Hello Larry, great show today. This is Jimmy Asleson from Halstad and I'm a volunteer firefighter up 'ere. I was wondering if the guys from Los Angeles find it harder to fight a fire up here in the cold? I'll get off and listen."_

Roy gestured to Johnny to take the call first. "Jimmy, to answer your question, I'd have to say it's challenging because of the elements. I noted firefighters up here deal with cold temperatures, ice, and snow while fighting a fire. In comparison, we deal with extreme heat and tinder dry conditions, while fighting a brush fire in the canyons and wild lands of the county. I would have to say the challenges are similar yet different," Johnny responded.

Due to the climate, the weather dictates how we approach our jobs. I could see where cold and snow can affect water delivery, setting up lines, and even responding to a call here in North Dakota. In Los Angeles County, we contend with terrain and the Santa Ana winds in the spring," Roy countered.

"What are the Santa Ana winds?" Larry asked.

"They're winds that come off of the desert areas and they can be hot or cold. When they blow from the east in the spring, they can sometimes become compressed in the canyons and can gust as fast as 80 mph. The winds can really whip the flames of a wildfire putting firefighters and civilians at risk in a very short time," Roy responded thoughtfully.

Roy paused briefly before continuing, "It's a fire that can eat a lot of ground very, very quickly and it doesn't leave a lot of time for evacuation. I've seen some fires where 100 acres were burned in a very short time. Building regulations dictate how some buildings are constructed, in addition, to keeping lots cleared of dry, overgrown vegetation."

"I didn't realize that they moved that quickly," Larry stated solemnly. "We do have some wildfires in northern Minnesota and in the grasslands out west, but not on the same scale. I understand that forest units in northern Minnesota will sometimes go to the western states to help with wild fires."

"They move very, very rapidly," Johnny countered. "It is always a concern when it comes to the safety of the firefighters regardless if they are on your own crew, another department, or an out-of-state wild lands crew. Safety is also a concern for air crews dropping water and chemicals on the fires. Wind drafts from the hottest part of the fire can wreak havoc with the stability of a helicopter. I have a lot of respect for the individuals who fight wildfires on a regular basis. Anytime you fight a wildfire, you always hope to come home."

"So when you are fighting a wildfire, are you a firefighter or a paramedic first?" Larry asked.

"Sometimes both..at the same time," Roy offered. "Sometimes we render aid to evacuees and firefighters overcome by smoke. The goal is to fight the flames to protect property and lives. Property can be replaced but lives cannot whether it is a civilian or a firefighter." Johnny nodded solemnly at Roy's comment. Captain Ericsson caught Johnny's reaction to Roy's comment and suspected they were both aware of death in their own ranks from the ravages of a wildfire.

Larry picked up on the change of mood and shifted gears from the topic of discussing wildfires. "Let's take another call, gentlemen. Caller, go ahead," Larry said as he pressed a flashing button on the soundboard.

_"Hi Guys, My name is Brandy Jones and I live in North Fargo. I'm a transplant from San Bernardino and I really miss my Rams. I was wondering what you guys do when you're not on duty and at the station when you're not fighting fires or rescuing people?"_

Roy and Ericsson did their best to stifle their laughter as the shook their heads in amusement as Johnny grinned maniacally with his arms held up in victory. If Brandy only knew what had transpired earlier in the day, she would be laughing also.

"Brandy, if you were in the studio right now, John Gage is sitting here with a very large grin on his face, while Roy and Captain Ericsson are shaking their heads trying not to laugh," Larry said with amusement as he watched the unfolding scene before him, while trying to remain professional with a straight face. "Do you gentlemen care to explain?"

"Morning discussion at the breakfast table about John's favorite team and the unlikelihood of hearing from a Rams fan up here," Ericsson offered as he tried to control his snickering. "Apparently, we're wrong."

"Yep, We've been proven wrong, Captain Ericsson," Roy responded while trying to keep a straight face. "To answer part of your question Brandy, we play cards, watch television, read, and talk. There's the occasional misadventure and practical joke at the station that provides relief from tense situations and creates good, clean fun."

"Good, clean fun if you aren't on the receiving end," Johnny interjected playfully.

Roy continued after Johnny's remark, as a smile spread across his face. His friend did have a point, he was often the butt of Chet's jokes. "Outside of being at the station, I enjoy swimming, going to a Dodgers game, and spending time with my kids... Johnny?"

Roy gestured to Johnny to take over the discussion as he shook his head smiling. "Brandy, it's nice to meet a fellow Rams fan," Johnny said as he gave Roy a triumphant grin. "The naysayers were proven wrong, there are Rams fans here in North Dakota. I predict they'll be in the Super Bowl next year. Besides the Rams and Dodgers, I enjoy camping, hiking, reading, and fishing. Also, Roy and I have worked on restoring an old fire engine during our free time."

_"John, I like your attitude about the Rams!" Brandy said happily. "Thanks for answering my question."_

"You're welcome!" Johnny replied.

"Gentlemen we need to take a break and pay a few bills. We'll be back in a few minutes with more of your calls for our guests." Larry said as the twangy music began to play. When they were off the air, Larry let out a belly laugh at the Rams story. Roy and Ericsson joined Larry in laughing about the call.

"I can only imagine that discussion this morning. I would like to ask a question or two about the engine you restored when we go back on the air," Larry said breathlessly.

Jacobson stifled his own smirk as he gave Larry the countdown that they were returning to the airwaves. Larry quickly pulled himself into professional mode before going back on the air. "Welcome back to the show, I want to address a comment John made before the commercial break."

"You're a Rams fan?" Johnny asked playfully.

"Nope, I'm a card carrying Vikings fan," Larry smirked back. "I would like know more about the engine you and Roy restored." Johnny smiled and snapped his fingers in mocked disappointment that he was unable to recruit a new fan.

"No problem, Roy and I were on a fire call to a salvage yard and we spotted an old fire engine from what we thought was the 1920s. We purchased the old engine for $80 and had it delivered to the back lot at our station. As we started to work on the engine, we learned it was a 1932 Dennis Fire Engine. Since it was a British made engine, hunting for parts made it a challenge to repair and rebuild the engine. The steering wheel on this engine is on the right hand side."

"That would've been an interesting challenge," Larry surmised.

"The biggest challenge was finding the correct fittings for the engine bloc as it was built in Great Britain and there are not many of them in the United States," Roy offered. "It proved to be a real journey as neither of us knew anything about restoration work."

"It truly was a learning experience," Johnny added. "it was a beautiful showpiece when we finished and we even drove it in a parade.

"Do you still have the engine?" Larry asked.

"No, we donated the vehicle to a museum," Roy offered.

"Very interesting," Larry commented. "I think we have time for a few more calls." Larry pressed the button on the sound board, "Go ahead, caller."

_"Hey Larry.. Interesting show today. This is Neil Mueller from Casselton. Welcome to Fargo, John and Roy!" Earlier you mentioned rapelling and climbing. I was wondering if they got that training at the fire academy?"_

"Hello Neil, Thanks for the warm welcome. When John and I enrolled in the academy we trained first as firefighters by hauling hose, learning techniques and procedures, in addition to a variety of drills including attaching hose to a hydrant." Roy stated. He paused briefly before continuing, "It is only after we completed out probationary period as a firefighter do we get more advanced training in other specialties such as search and rescue, ladder, or additional linesman training."

"Neil, after Roy and I finished our probationary period, we both trained in search and rescue work. This includes extracting accident victims from vehicles or buildings. Some of our rescues require us to rapell or climb on a variety of surfaces ranging from rocks to glass," Johnny added. He pause briefly before continuing. "Aside from the training we received from the department, Roy and I also trained at a National Park Service ranger station in the Sierras for additional climbing and rapelling training."

"A follow-up to Neil's question, do you guys have to continually train to stay up-to-date?" Larry asked.

"Yes, we do," Roy replied. "Reviewing what we know and staying up-to-date on firefighting techniques is an ongoing process. Keeping on top of changes through drills and sessions is key for us doing our jobs as technology and methods change."

"This is especially true on the paramedic front as we have to keep up our certification and learn new treatment approaches and drugs. We also have to keep up with changes in equipment as emergency medicine has advanced," Johnny added.

"Caller, go ahead," Larry stated as he pressed the button.

_"Hello John and Roy, this is Brett Stoker at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. I was wondering how Captain Ericsson viewed the differences between Los Angeles and Fargo departments?"_

"Good question...As much as there are differences due to population, climate, and terrain between the two stations, there are many similarities. One fact remains true and that is protecting life and property from the devastation of fire," Ericsson responded. "The past few days have been a learning experience with John and Roy."

"Brett, you wouldn't by chance be Mike Stoker's cousin?" Johnny asked.

_"Yes, I am... I listen to Larry's show when I can. Mike speaks of you guys regularly. Glad to see that you're not frozen yet, John and Roy!" _

"We'll tell Mike we spoke with you. Thanks for calling Brett!" Roy added.

Larry looked up as his producer signaled that he had 10 minutes left of this portion of his show. "I think we have time for two more quick calls from our listeners. Caller, go ahead."

_"Hello Larry, a warm welcome to our guests. This is Jim Salmonson from Finley and I was wondering if your guests have worked with volunteer fire groups?"_

"Yes, we have worked some volunteer outfits in outlying areas of the county and also with some of the wild lands fire groups. They are starting to train volunteer EMT's to help render basic care in some areas," Roy stated.

"That's why it's important for rural areas to have the training and equipment to help people who need it," Ericsson added. "Adding to what John and Roy have said earlier, volunteers aid and compliment the professionally trained crews. They serve in areas that are not always accessible."

Roy and Johnny nodded in agreement with Ericsson's comment. Roy grew increasingly aware of how important volunteers were in a rural area.

"We have time for one more call from our listeners for our guests. I apologize that we weren't able to get to everyone, but the hour has flown by fast. Caller, go ahead," Larry said.

_"Welcome to Fargo, John and Roy! This is Connie Hendrickson from Wahpeton. I was wondering what your most challenging rescue was and your most rewarding rescue call."_

Roy suggested to Johnny to take the call first. "The most challenging rescues are cranes or other high places you have to struggle to maintain your footing and help the patient. Most rewarding calls would be helping kids and bringing a new life into the world," Johnny replied thoughtfully. "Roy?"

"Good question and haven't really given it much thought in the past," Roy said thoughtfully. He paused briefly before continuing, "Hmmm... most challenging rescues are motor vehicle accidents and some of the home incidents because they can be unpredictable and you never know what might occur. I have to agree with John, the most rewarding calls are those helping children and bringing a new life into the world."

Johnny nodded at Roy's answer about most challenging rescues. He knew his friend was right about incidents that happen a person's home. Those type of calls were always unpredictable ranging from fires and falls in the home, to issues regarding domestic abuse and bizarre rescue scenarios.

"The hour has flown by quickly and I would like to thank Captain Ericsson for bringing his California friends, John and Roy, by for a visit," Larry grinned as he offered his thanks on-the-air. "It has been a fun and interesting hour, thanks!"

"It was great being here," Johnny concurred as a grin spread across his face.

"It was our pleasure," Roy said appreciatively. "It was fun."

Jacobson gave the signal to the engineer to play the buffer music before signaling the guys to remove their headsets. When they received the signal, Johnny and Roy removed their headsets and rubbed the numbness from their ears. Larry leaned over and shook hands with Captain Ericsson. He reached under the table and pulled two brown paper bags from under the table.

"John and Roy, It was a great pleasure to have you on the show today," Larry commented. "In the bags are a few things that we put together to welcome you to Fargo."

Johnny and Roy thanked Larry as they each took a bag from Larry's hands. Johnny looked in his and spied a t-shirt, cap and a myriad of treats including a package of Bison Chips.

"Thank you, this is most unexpected," Roy stated after the element of surprise wore off.

"It was great having you guys here," Larry said thoughtfully. "it was fun."

Ericsson looked at his watch and gestured to Johnny and Roy that they needed to to head out as Larry sat down in front of his sound board as the news brief, weather and farm updates were winding down. Jacobson showed them out of the studio and informed Ericsson that tapes would be made of the interviews for John and Roy to take back to Los Angeles.

As they walked out of the studio, they grabbed their coats from the coat rack and headed to the lobby. The sounds of Larry's show and call-in segments about local event spilled into the lobby. Ericsson pulled a small camera from his pocked and gestured to Johnny and Roy to stand on either side of the bull. Both guys complied with the request and stood near the bull and each pondered how they were going to explain this to the guys are 51s. After several pictures were taken, Johnny decided to take the hat from the bull and place it on his head. A large price tag hung from the brim of the hat just as Captain Ericsson snapped the picture while a wide grin spread across his face.

"Now we can call you... Johnny Pearl," Roy smirked as the tried to keep a straight face with great difficulty.

"Funny, Roy!" Johnny snorted in playful disgust at Roy's struggle to keep a straight face. He placed the hat back on the bull after the picture was taken.

"Come On, Johnny... or, is that Minnie," Roy smirked as he gave Johnny a playful pat on the shoulder.

"Careful pardner," Johnny cautioned playfully as they headed to the parking lot. "Spook has instructed me on the fine art of making a snowball."

Roy shook his head facetiously as he got into the car. He knew Johnny's ruse as he could still the hurt in his eyes. He had to give him credit, he did know ho to put on a good front when he needed to in a setting that was alien to him.

Ericsson started the car and let it warm for several minutes before pulling out of the parking lot. Roy and Johnny snooped a bit further in their bags. Roy looked at the green and gold North Dakota State University Bison T-shirt, KFGO cap, and Bison chips. Ericsson looked over and grinned at the puzzled expression on Roy's face as he wondered what the Bison chips were made of, as they were a myriad of shapes covered in chocolate.

"It is a product named for an area college's sports team, North Dakota State University Bison," Ericsson offered with a sly smile as he kept an eye on the road. "They are chocolate covered potato chips. They're also called chippers by the locals."

"I've never seen such a thing," Roy commented. "It was very nice of them to do this."

"Tell them thanks from me also," Johnny tendered as placed the items back in the bag.

Ericsson drove the car to the back lot of the station and pulled into a parking spot. The wind blew the powdery snow off the fence rail creating a mini blizzard as the car came to a stop. The guys quickly made their way into the station to escape the cold and headed to the office to shed their winter gear. Ericsson was intercepted by a member of Crew C, who informed him that there was a reporter and a photographer from the Fargo Forum waiting or them in the day room. Ericsson acknowledged the information from the man and gestured to Johnny and Roy to follow him into the day room.

The threesome entered the day room and Captain Ericsson proceeded to introduce Johnny and Roy to the young woman sitting at the table reviewing her notes. Johnny looked at the young woman and was reminded of a certain blonde reporter named Christy who rode with the squad some years ago. Deep down, he was hoping she was not the same kind of person.

"Hello gentlemen, My name is Susan Jansen and this is my photographer, Hal Germundson. I would like to get a few pictures of you with the rigs and Captain Ericsson, in addition, to a few questions about firefighting and paramedics. I have read your back grounds." Jansen stated. "Shall be begin?"

The group went into the apparatus bay where Germundson started to snap pictures of Johnny and Roy standing in front of the squad with and without Captain Ericsson. He snapped several pictures of Johnny and Roy alone standing in front of the squad in several different poses. The last set of pictures were of Roy sitting in the cab looking out through the driver's side door and Johnny and Captain Ericsson standing on either side of him, encasing the Fargo Fire Department on the door of the rig. Germundson also shot several picture of Johnny and Roy standing next to one of the ambulances.

Susan Jansen interviewed Captain Ericsson for several minutes while Germundson finished photographing Johnny and Roy with the ambulance and its crew.

"I had the opportunity to interview of the members of your crew, Captain Ericsson," Susan stated. "Your crew thinks very highly of Gage and DeSoto, along with you. It is nice to see that."

"Thanks, I appreciate your words," Ericsson thanked the young woman. He watched as the young woman proceeded to finish her interviews with John and Roy. The entire interview and photo session lasted 15 minutes. Ericsson thanked the young reporter and photographer for coming.

Captain Ericsson walked up behind John and Roy, "Let's get some lunch and relax a little before the meeting."

Roy and John nodded in agreement as both sensed a certain unease with Captain Ericsson. Johnny caught the Captain's unease and grabbed Roy's elbow to have him hold back.

"Is everything alright with him. He seems distracted?" Johnny asked.

"I was wondering the same thing." Roy replied as he pulled his elbow away from Johnny's hand. "I suspect it has to do with the storm and the upcoming meeting this afternoon.

Johnny looked at Roy after his comment and slowly nodded. The two paramedics seemed to understand the enormity of the meeting and followed Captain Ericsson out to the back lot.


End file.
